If you don’t know who Ansel Elgort is, you might need to rewatch The Fault In Our Stars, The Divergent Series and Men, Women & Children. But something about him just doesn’t sit right with him for us at FIB. Is it his looks? His style? The way he wears his hair? Or maybe it is his cringey, sleaze of a personality in the spotlight. With Baby Driver hitting theatres this week, we take a closer look at the man from his regrettable running style, his grossest quotes and quite frankly, embarrassing music video.
Ten movies down the track and Ansel Elgort has made quite a name for himself. Starting in the modern remake of Carrie in 2013 with Chloe Grace Moretz, Ansel played the cool (but unintentionally awkward) school jock dating the hot cheerleader – a small but defining role in the plot. He then went on to play the nerdy brother in the Divergent movie released in 2014. Why was he nerdy you ask? His run. Seriously, has this man ever run anywhere before in his life? Need I say more?
Speaking of awkward, two months after Divergent was released – where he was cast as Shailene Woodley’s characters’ brother – the iconic, John Green book-to-movie The Fault In Our Stars was released where he is now in love with Shailene Woodley’s character. Weird.
But it wasn’t just his actions in front of the camera that had some people cringing. I mean, it’s hardly his fault these film roles have shaken out the way they have. It’s probably not even his fault Divergent was such a massive flop. And yet, he is entirely responsible for what comes out of his mouth and Ansel Elgort is a man that has been known to weird people out in the spotlight during some (or most) interviews. He was even labelled an “the biggest accidental douchebag” by Complex. Some examples you ask?
The Quote: “Girls love it when you have some weird nerdy thing in your room. It makes you look less threatening, even though I’m, like, very threatening. I’m the most threatening guy ever.”
The Interview: GQ, December 2014
Beyond gross Ansel. Thanks for reminding me why I’ll NEVER be entering your room. EVER.
The Quote: “If you can find a girl who you can go to an EDM concert with, have a conversation with, who will sit on the couch and watch you play GTA for three hours—and then you go to bed and have amazing sex? That should be your girlfriend.”
The Interview: Elle, March 2015
C’mon dude, really?
The Quote: “I don’t really care that some trashy girl, like, now all of the sudden wants to fuck me. That’s not really that interesting to me.”
The Interview: GQ, December 2014
Yeah, that’s not really that interesting to me either, Ansel.
Putting his film career to the side for a minute, Ansel one day decided to venture out into the music industry last year. What would it sound like? Would he be a soulful singer-songwriter crooner a la Ed Sheeran or Shawn Mendes? Nope. Ansel selected the moniker DJ Ansolo and decided to make run-the-mill pop music, a dollar store version of The Chainsmokers if you will.
While I’m sure oestrogen-filled, screaming tweens went wild for the thought of a song that features the rapey voice of the 23-year-old, the songs barely made a dent in the industry with his biggest song ‘Thief’ peaking at the 22nd spot in the US Billboard Charts. His other 3 singles did not make it onto the charts at all. ‘Thief’ was also accompanied by an exposing video of himself and his long term girlfriend doing just about anything you can imagine a sexed-up, young couple would do in a bathtub scene. In fact, Ansel commented on his choice to use a bathtub in the film and yes, it is as creepy as you thought it would be:
“There’s something really great about a bathtub,” Elgort laughs. “Some of the greatest scenes in movies and also art work (are in a bathtub), everything from DMX sitting in a bathtub full of blood, or Prince sitting in a bath tub on stage, and Eminem, too. Bathtubs are provocative things. People have sex in bathtubs, they touch themselves in bath tubs, they kill themselves in bathtubs. Bathtubs are a real place where a lot of shit goes down.”
Alright, I think we’ve had enough of Ansel quotes for this post. There’s only so much we can take. Watch the ‘Thief’ music video below.
Ansel’s latest projects include his leading role in Baby Driver. The film will be released in Australian cinemas on the 13th of July this year and is being hyped as potentially, the movie of the year. The film centres around Baby, a getaway driver who relies on his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game, which he is. However, after meeting the woman of his dreams, he sees a chance to ditch his shady lifestyle and make a clean break for the future. The movie is action-packed with a juicy romance and a subtle comedic touch that will have viewers itching for a sequel.
Ansel is also reported to be signed on to play a young JFK in an upcoming biopic. Off the back of the success of Baby Driver and this bit of recent casting news, people are lining up to crown Ansel the next great American movie star. But his past comments and action have us giving Ansel the side-eye and we need some more convincing that he’s more than just your average douchey frat boy.
All in all, Ansel Elgort, while he is a successful actor in the industry, may need a little life coaching on how NOT to be a complete and utter creep and big-headed loon. To hear Ansel Elgort’s massive music collection, see below.
