Brian Cox’s Kilt Mishap: The 79-Year Old Actor Steals the Show at Toronto Premiere — ‘Hard Not to Wear Underpants’

Brian Cox, the man who gave life to the gloriously profane Logan Roy, has once again proven he has absolutely no filter—and this time, it wasn’t just his words doing the talking. The legendary actor showed up to the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the premiere of his directorial debut, Glenrothan, and gave the audience a viewing experience they definitely didn’t see coming.

Run (from) the Jewels!

Dressed in a traditional black Scottish kilt to honor his film’s setting, Cox took the festival’s stage for a post-screening Q&A. As he settled into his chair, he got a little too comfortable, and in a classic “manspreading” moment, accidentally flashed his “precious jewels” to the unsuspecting crowd. Whoops!

Is It Bad, Or Is It That Good?

Leave it to Brian Cox to handle a full-frontal wardrobe malfunction with the same brazen confidence he brings to all of his roles. Way to go!

When a shocked audience member pointed out the accidental peep show, Cox didn’t miss a beat. “Is it that bad?” he shot back with a grin, before cheekily adding, “Or that good?” The crowd, of course, erupted in laughter.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cox then launched into a defense of his sartorial choices. He declared:

You have to wear the kilt the proper way. The kilt is designed to make you cool and free. And it’s a f–king wonderful freedom.

Honestly, has there ever been a more Brian Cox response to accidentally showing everyone your private business? We think not. Plus, it’s good Scottish logic.

The incident soon became the running joke of the Q&A. At one point, while discussing his desire to make the film his way, he contrasted his approach with directors who prefer to “cover their ass… or not.”

Too funny. The unlucky turn of phrase wasn’t lost on him. He further joked:

What an unfortunate phrase… I’m really sorry about this. I never thought I’d be in this position.

But the kilt chaos wasn’t over. As the audience continued to get an eyeful, front-row attendees started chanting, “Your legs! Your legs!” to get him to, well, close them so as to… untilt the kilt. It’s easy to forget about the pantsless factor when getting caught up in Q&A. 

Who’s To Blame For This Kilt-astrophe?

Never one to take the fall, Cox playfully deflected blame onto his producer, Neil Zeigler. Really, most anything that goes wrong is the producers’s fault – that’s just good logic. He said:

Whose idea was it to wear these f–king kilts? Certainly not my idea. It was the producer’s idea. They always try to f–k you up, at the end of the day. They can be so vengeful sometimes.

Wait… the producers or the kilts?

He even correctly guessed that Zeigler, who also wore a kilt, was probably wearing underpants. Cox, ever the traditionalist, seemed to be going commando for that authentic “free and easy” feel.

This whole episode is yet another chapter in the unfiltered story of Brian Cox. The man is infamous for speaking his mind, whether it’s slamming Joaquin Phoenix’s “truly terrible” performance in Napoleon or ruffling feathers by calling Johnny Depp “so overblown, so overrated.” And let’s not forget his critiques of Meghan Markle, which he later walked back with “enormous sympathy.” Right.

In the end, Cox’s accidental flash at TIFF is pure, unadulterated celebrity gold. It’s a reminder that beneath the layers of clothing, er, we mean acclaimed roles and awards, he’s a delightfully shameless Scotsman who isn’t afraid to let it all hang out – literally. It was a fun and unexpected moment of levity and marvelous entertainment only Brian Cox could deliver.