Josh Hutcherson Admits He Was Called a 'Monster' for Shading Taylor Swift’s Music: This Is 'Why I Don't Like to Be Online'

Josh Hutcherson is not a fan of Taylor Swift’s music — and fans are not okay with it.

In a Monday, April 20, interview with GQ, the Hunger Games star, 33, divulged some of the backlash he received related to a controversial remark about the musician last year.

During a 2025 press tour with his castmate Jordan Firstman, Hutcherson admitted his mom dragged him out to the VIP section at Swift’s Eras Tour in New Orleans, La.

“My mom made me,” he said at the time. “I’m not a Swiftie. Very much not. No shade, all respect, but definitely not.”

In Monday’s interview, Hutcherson recalled the influx of hate he received after he made those comments.

“I got some heat because I did a photo shoot with Jordan, and Jordan asked me something about being a [Taylor Swift fan], and I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m definitely not a Swiftie,’” he remembered. “All of a sudden it garnered this, ‘F--- him! He’s a monster! Destroy him! He’s short! He hates her because he’s short! It’s just like, whoa! I think she’s great. Her music is not my kind of music. That is why I don’t want to be online.”

Fans reflected on the viral moment as well on social media.

“It’s the way you said it buddy,” one person commented on an April 20 TikTok post about the incident, while another agreed, “It was his tone during the interview.”

Others, however, thought sending Hutcherson hate was an overreaction.

“I’m a big swiftie but this is actually insane🤣 there’s obviously loads of people in the world who don’t like her full stop or her as a person or even just the music but it’s never that deep,” one person wrote.

A second user added, “yall weird for hating on him like people can’t have diff opinions on music. music is subjective !!!!!!”

Hutcherson tries to stay off social media to avoid any negative impact on his mental health.

“I don’t need that energy,” he expressed. “It’s counterintuitive to my job, because if people know you more, you can’t disappear into characters. They see you as, ‘Oh, that’s Josh.’ You know what I mean? So, if you’re a f------ meme, people know you for the meme.”

Indeed, the actor has not yet posted on his Instagram feed in 2026. His last social media share was on December 23, 2025, to celebrate Season 1 of I Love LA. He posted a photo dump behind the scenes of the series with his castmates, featuring several digital camera images.

“Season one was the best experience one can have making something. working with friends and creating together on the best set imaginable. I can't wait to be back at it again with all of these amazing people!!! thank you to every person who made this show come to life!!!” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “[Creator and star] Rachel [Sennott] is beyond words and what she creates is absolutely one of a kind... not only on the page or in how she directs but also the good people she surrounds herself with. love all you guys.”