Julia Fox is shedding light on a trend she finds completely ridiculous: the tendency of some NFL fans to blame celebrity girlfriends for their partners’ on-field losses.
The 35-year-old actress, who stars in the new thriller Him, didn’t hold back when discussing how pop star Taylor Swift has been unfairly targeted by fans whenever her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, suffers a loss.
Wives and Girlfriends Unfairly Targeted
Fox criticized the way women are often made scapegoats for men’s failures on the football field.
“Like, if a guy loses a game, it’s a girl’s ‘fault,’ like his girlfriend’s ‘fault,’” she explained during an interview with Australian outlet Pedestrian.TV.
She called the idea “crazy” and added that superstitions and irrational beliefs among players only fuel this misplaced blame.
Using Swift and Kelce as an example, Fox said, “I remember Travis Kelce lost a game, and then people were saying that it was Taylor Swift’s fault.
It was just like, ‘What? That’s crazy!’ But you know, blame women — they love to do that.”
She even quipped sarcastically about the supposed “power” of WAGs: “It’s like, oh, I didn’t know we were so powerful.
So you’re admitting that we are powerful? So you’re admitting it?”
Drawing Inspiration From Real-Life WAGs
Fox revealed that her work on the new thriller Him, set in the world of professional football, drew inspiration from real-life WAGs like Swift.
In the film, she plays influencer Elsie White, and she initially watched reality TV, including Basketball Wives, to get into character.
However, she quickly discovered that her director, Justin Tipping, wanted her to bring her authentic self to the role rather than mimic reality TV personalities.
“Then I realized, it was because in Elsie’s mind, she’s not like the other WAGs — she’s better than them,” Fox explained.
Elsie White: More Than a Typical WAG
Fox described her character as cosmopolitan, sophisticated, and refined, with a love for fashion, art, and travel.
Elsie is someone with a lot to prove, having come from humble beginnings, and she doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold of a football girlfriend.
Experiencing the Pressure of the Spotlight
The actress also reflected on the intense public scrutiny surrounding football players’ relationships.
“Eventually, you do find yourself reading the gossip or whatever, the tabloids. It kinda piques your curiosity,” she admitted.
Working on Him offered Fox a glimpse into the high-stakes world of professional football and the constant attention faced by players and their partners.
She summed it up by saying, “The stakes are so high and the pressure is so much. It seems like such an intense world.
It’s definitely not for me. I definitely have a newfound respect for people in that world — especially the women.”