Dodging the topic? Austin Butler avoided a question about the whereabouts of girlfriend Kaia Gerber while walking the 2023 Oscars champagne carpet

After Ashley Graham asked the Elvis leading man, 31, “Where’s Kaia?” Austin simply replied that he was attending with his best friend at the Sunday, March 12, event. 

It appears that quite a few viewers noticed the moment, as many took to Twitter to weigh in immediately after the interaction aired on television. 

“Ashley Graham scaring the daylight out of Austin with the Kaia question,” one fan tweeted. “Does Austin Butler like Kaia Gerber like at all??” another chimed in, whereas a separate user wrote, “Can you imagine if Austin and Kaia are going through something and then the interviewer is just like where is she!?!??!” 

Sealed With a Kiss! Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber Pack on the PDA: Their Cutest Photos
Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Aside from the apparent snub over the model, 21, other fans also noticed how the camera cut to Austin’s ex-girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens, who was a cohost on the same TV network.  

“Ashley Graham asking Austin Butler where Kaia is when her cohost for the night was Vanessa Hudgens was INSANE MESSY BEHAVIOR,” one Twitter user wrote, while another added, “Booo they left Austin for [the] last interview on the carpet but sent him to Ashley Graham who asks where Kaia is before it literally cuts back to Vanessa to sign off the show.” 

Despite the fact that Kaia did not attend the 95th Academy Awards with her beau, Austin — who was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture for his portrayal of Elvis Presley — has made it a point to bring close pals and family members with him to recent award shows. In January, the Anaheim, California, native brought his sister, Ashley Butler, to the Golden Globe Awards, where he won the award for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture. 

However, Austin and Kaia were later spotted packing on the PDA at a Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hills Hotel. 

The Carrie Diaries alum tends to keep his love life on the down-low since he and Kaia began dating in December 2021. However, he made a rare but vague comment about his lady during a May 2022 interview with GQ. 

“I don’t think there’s anything I want to share about that, but thank you for providing the space,” he said. 

For Vanessa’s part, the Tick, Tick … Boom! actress dated Austin from 2011 to January 2020. In December of that year, she moved on with her current fiancé, Cole Tucker.