During the preshow interview, Hugh gave her absolutely nothing, telling her there was "no one in particular" he wanted to see win and then telling her he was wearing "a suit" when she asked about his outfit.
And when he called the event "Vanity Fair," seemingly alluding to William Makepeace Thackeray's 1848 novel, Ashley thought he meant the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, which made the whole thing even more awkward.
But looking back, Ashley admits she completely didn't expect the interaction to go that way.
In an interview with the UK's Sunday Times, Ashley says Hugh was actually very kind right before the cameras started rolling.
"I could tell he didn't want to be there, that was obvious. Before, we were chatting — he was very pleasant," she explained.
She continued, "Then we started rolling and he was like, 'I don't want to be here,' and I was, 'OK, work with me! I get it! But, like, work with me?'"
Hugh definitely did not work with her — and the result was an interview that went totally viral, which was "crazy" to Ashley.
"I was trying my hardest to be my nice, upbeat self, and he gave me what he had," Ashley concluded.
And as for that "Vanity Fair" comment, Ashley admits she "didn't get it," joking that her "public school system didn't have that book, probably."
