TikTok star Drew Afualo is clapping back at men who say she didn’t deserve to be at the 95th Academy Awards this past Sunday.
As one of three TikTok stars officially invited by the Academy, Drew acted as an “Academy correspondent” on the champagne carpet, interviewing celebrities and drawing in youth viewers based on her massive online audience of over 8 million.
Upon the news of her attendance, men flooded TikTok criticising the Academy for inviting Drew.
“Oscars are slipping when they have a misandrist like Drew,” wrote one user on Drew’s video.
“Who let this idiot host?! Damn if I knew all I needed to do was bash and insult people online to get a trip to the Oscars, would’ve done it sooner,” wrote another.
Since first joining TikTok, Drew has built her platform around sharing unfiltered, unapologetic takedowns of men who make misogynistic videos about women. This has made her the target of constant vitriol, which she takes in stride.
“I don’t waste time trying to educate full-grown men on why they shouldn’t be [openly] horrible on the internet,” Drew told Pedestrian in 2022. “I truly just make them regret ever making that video.”
In true Drew form, she responded to the Oscars backlash by joking that her “job is officially done” after making so many men “jealous, ugly & mad” over her attedance.
Hundreds of women have since flooded her TikTok comment section to congratulate the creator on such a major opportunity and to defend Drew against the men sending her hate.
“Yes! Terrible men are seething and I hope this is nourishing your soul,” wrote one user on Drew’s TikTok. “QUEEN.”
Another thanked Drew for making “women feel so strong” and for using her platform “to give us [women] confidence.”
On a TikTok video of Drew interviewing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on the carpet, in which the actor seemed to remember Drew from a past encounter, fans were quick to note how angry this would make her “alpha-male” haters.
“I hope the haters realize The Rock REMEMBERS YOU and has no idea what THEIR NAME EVEN IS,” wrote one fan.
Drew attended the award show alongside TikTok stars Reece Feldman and Khaby Lame, who were also invited by the Academy.