Actor Hannah Waddingham shuts down photographer’s ‘show me your leg’ request with a powerful statement

Celebrities often earn even more admiration when they stand up against inappropriate behavior, and Hannah Waddingham recently set a perfect example. It wasn’t her acting that grabbed headlines this time, but her quick and firm response to a photographer’s comment. While posing at a Sunday night event in London, a photographer said, “Show me leg.” Waddingham immediately shut him down, saying, “Oh my god, you’d never say that to a man, my friend.” She followed up with a firm warning: “Don’t say, ‘Show me your leg.’ No,” and made it clear she would walk away if the remarks continued.

The Ted Lasso star didn’t stop there. As she walked away from the red carpet toward the Royal Albert Hall, she firmly said, “Have some manners,” she said, earning cheers from the crowd. The moment quickly went viral on X after user @odeiotedlasso uploaded a clip of the exchange. "Long story short: Hannah was being her gorgeous self and the photographers made some comments about her leg. We couldn't quite make out and... well, the video speaks for itself. This woman is a role model. Always, always call pricks out on their bull**it," they captioned the video. "I not only saw Hannah Waddingham, but I saw Hannah Waddingham being pissed at an as***** misogynistic photographer and calling him off on it and I never yelled mother so loud," they added in a separate tweet. 

The incident sparked a wave of support in the comment section. "I could not love her more! I absolutely love that she stands her ground and will not let people treat her like crap," wrote @britishbatwit. "Damn, rude photographer. I'm glad she called him out! And I'm glad her friend Michael Ball was there to hug her. I'm sure she needed it at that moment," added @FuriousKnitter. "The snapper wanted her to show some leg and she politely said he wouldn't ask a man to do that. Good for her," expressed @beaglebugle. Others, like @weltonandwadds, shared a quote from the "Game of Thrones" actress: "My Dad taught me to call out misogyny from a young age. I think it's important that when you see someone behaving badly, you call them out and batter them over the head with it. - Hannah Waddingham."

Hannah Waddingham has always been unapologetically herself and unafraid to stand out. Recently, she made waves at the SAG Awards when she paired her designer dress with a cardboard purse handmade by her 9-year-old daughter. "My daughter wanted to contribute, so she made me a bag," Waddingham shared with PEOPLE, proudly showcasing the purse during her photoshoot and conversation with the host. Discussing motherhood, she emphasized, "This is all great, but this [being a mom] is the most important." Her decision to carry the handmade purse reflects her values and the importance she places on family.