REVEALED: Celebrities’ most hated interview questions

Following her third gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles surprised the world when she took to social media to ask reporters and the public to stop bringing up one popular question in particular.

Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – over the weekend, the iconic gymnast, 27, hit out at reporters covering the Olympics in France for quizzing athletes on what comes next after they get their hands on medals.

She wrote: ‘You guys really gotta stop asking athletes what’s next after they win a medal at the Olympics.’

The moment came after Biles, who has become the most decorated American gymnast of all time at this summer’s Games, captured another gold medal in the vault finals on Saturday. 

Indeed, the decorated Olympian isn’t the only famous name to share frustrations about the line of questioning they have encountered during their career.

In a recent interview, fellow sporting legend Serena Williams admitted she had always hated being asked about her performance immediately after a game.

Elsewhere, Tom Hanks previously revealed his annoyance about constantly inquiries about how he has managed to enjoy a lasting marriage with wife Rita Wilson.

Meanwhile, Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton creator Shona Rhimes was always left unimpressed by interviewers who would ask how she managed to write ‘smart, strong women’ for her hit TV shows.

Here, DailyMail.com reveals the questions that celebrities have revealed that they hate being asked…

Serena Williams, 42: Questions about her opponents and performance

As one of the greatest tennis players to ever step foot on the court, Serena Williams endured her fair share of post-match press conferences during her iconic career.

However, during a recent appearance on YouTube talk show, Hot Ones, the Grand Slam champ, 42, admitted that she often hated being asked questions about the performance of her opponent after she defeated them.

Williams explained that she would give a respectful answer because she knew it wouldn’t go down well to say ‘the things you want to say that automatically pop up in your mind.’

She laughed and stated: ‘She played terrible, otherwise I wouldn’t have won… but you can’t say that.’

Williams then proceeded to recall a more typical answer as she said: ‘She did great, I just happened to be one today… No, “I was way better than her today.”‘ 

The tennis ace also revealed that she had the same sentiments when asked about losing a game.

‘Yeah, I lost today because I sucked. It wasn’t my day… I feel like punching myself, what do you mean “How do I feel about that?”‘ she joked.

Jennifer Garner, 52: Questions about balancing work and motherhood

Like many working mothers in Hollywood, Jennifer Garner has found herself being asked how she manages to make time for both her family and her career.

Unsurprisingly, the actress, 52, has never enjoyed the level on concern when it comes to the careers of women in the industry but not for their male counterparts.

Speaking candidly at the 2014 Women in Hollywood event held by Elle magazine, Jennifer spoke out about the issue she had with this line of questioning.

Recalling a moment when both herself and ex-husband Ben Affleck had attended press junkets, Garner revealed that the pair had gone on to discuss the differences in their experience.

She stated: ‘I told him every single person who interviewed me, I mean every single one, and this is true of the red carpet here tonight Elle, asked me, “How do you balance work and family?”

‘And he said the only thing that people asked him repeatedly was about the tits on the Blurred Lines girl [Emily Ratajkowski].’

The scenario highlighted the difference regarding who gets asked about work-life balance as Garner continued: ‘As a matter of fact, no one had ever asked him about it. And we do share the same family. Isn’t it time to kinda change that conversation?’

Tom Hanks, 68: Questions about his lasting marriage

Hollywood icon Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have long been celebrated for maintaining one of the longest lasting marriage in Hollywood.

The pair began dating in 1986 before tying the knot in 1988. They then went on to welcome sons Chester ‘Chet’ Hanks, 34, and Truman Theodore Hanks, 28.

And while Hanks is proud of his 30-plus years of wedded bliss with his beloved partner, the actor is not as fond of interviews where he is asked to spill the details about how they have managed to stand the test of time.

‘What’s the secret of your marriage?’ [Rita and I have] been married closed to 28 years!,’ the 68-year-old stated, according to Glamour magazine. 

‘The secret is marry her! There’s the secret! Boom: Now it’s not a secret anymore! I don’t want to give up my secret!’

Scarlett Johansson, 39: Questions about her superhero costume

As the main female lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Avengers, Scarlett Johansson found herself facing an unfair line of questioning compared to her male co-stars.

Back in 2012, the high-earning actress was left stunned by the amount reporters who kept asking about the undergarments she may or may not have worn in order to fit into the costume for her character, Black Widow.

When an Extra interviewer attempted to find out if she had opted for her birthday suit beneath the superhero outfit, the frustrated star stated that he was ‘the fifth person that’s asked me that today.’

The visibly annoyed star, now 39, continued: ‘What is going on? Since when did people start asking each other in interviews about their underwear?’

When the reporter attempted to justify his question by pointing out that ‘it’s such a skin tight…’ Johansson was quick to interrupt him

She stated: ‘I’ll leave it up to your imagination. Whatever you feel like I should be wearing or not wearing under that costume.’

Anthony Hopkins, 86: Questions about what drew him to a film role

Thanks to his legendary performances in films such as Hannibal, The Silence of the Lambs, Fracture and more, Anthony Hopkins is one of the most decorated and celebrated actors in the business.

Interest in his acting choices have always been high, however the actor, 86, has admitted that sometimes he finds the question a bit tedious.

When asked why he chose to play Odin, the one-eyed king of Asgard and father to the main character in Thor: The Dark World, Hopkins explained that the answer was as simple as ‘I love acting.’

He stated: ‘People always ask me this, “What drew you to the part?” I say, “Well, they offered it to me.”‘

The Oscar-winner continued: ‘The generic answer is, I just like to work. I can’t analyze why a part is good or not. 

‘Dress me in the armor and cloak and it makes me look handsome, I guess. I hope.’

Shonda Rhimes, 54: Questions about how she created ‘smart and strong’ female characters

Shonda Rhimes has blessed the world with shows and characters that fans have grown to love like family.

From Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy and Olivia Pope in Scandal, to Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, Rhimes has been celebrated for the complex characters she brings to screens.

However, the talented showrunner, 54, admitted that she found it slightly frustrating when people would ask her ‘how’ she managed to write such characters.

‘As if women are dumb and weak. I say, “I don’t know any dumb, weak women,”‘ the Bridgerton producer explained, according to Glamour.

In 2018, Rhimes went on to tweet her thoughts about the matter as she wrote: ‘Okay. Entertainment industry, time to stop using the phrases “Smart Strong Women” and “Strong Female Leads.”

‘There are no Dumb Weak Women. A smart strong woman is just a WOMAN. Also? “Women” are not a TV trend — we’re half the planet.’

Anne Hathaway, 41: Questions about dieting for a role

Like many women in Hollywood, Anne Hathaway has found herself being asked about changes in her diet in order to take on a part.

The actress, 41, made it clear that she found the line of questioning slightly intrusive during the promotional press tour for her role as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Thanks to heightened interest in her time in the iconic catsuit worn by the character, a reporter from Extra attempted to get details about how she got in the ‘perfect shape.’

‘It wasn’t about being in perfect shape. It was about being able to do the stunts and the fighting perfectly,’ she politely replied.

But when he kept pushing to know her workout plan to get into the ‘form-fitting’ costume, she hit back: ‘Are you trying to lose weight? What’s the deal, man, you look great! 

‘No, no seriously, we have to talk about this. What do you want, are you trying to fit into a catsuit?’