A Louis Vuitton front-row appearance has turned into an unexpected debate over personal space. Australian actor Josh Heuston caught online users' attention after a viral clip showed him seated beside Japanese singer and actor Sho Hirano at a fashion event in Paris.
The footage, filmed during Louis Vuitton's Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 runway event on 23 June, shows the pair sharing a tightly packed bench. While Heuston sits with his legs spread wide, Hirano appears more contained in his seat, prompting fans to question whether the actor was simply getting comfortable or occupying more than his share of the space.
The Front-Row Seating Storm
In the viral clip, Heuston appears relaxed as he sits with his legs spread apart on the crowded bench, a posture commonly known as 'manspreading'. He leans back, chats and smiles before turning towards the crowd and raising his arm while gesturing.
Hirano, meanwhile, appears to have less room. He keeps his legs close together and holds his Louis Vuitton monogram bag over his lap while sitting within his limited portion of the bench. The visual contrast between the two has made the clip particularly easy for social media users to turn into a meme about cramped seating.
The debate has also brought cultural etiquette into the conversation. Japanese train etiquette commonly encourages passengers not to spread their legs or take up additional seating space.
Japanese fans are calling out Australian actor Josh Heuston for manspreading, which left Japanese actor Sho Hirano looking cramped and uncomfortable. In Japan, manspreading is seen as a severe breach of public etiquette. Many think he did it on purpose, knowing the Japanese would stay quiet.
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Just Sitting or Being Obnoxious?
The clip sparked a split reaction online, as some users criticised Heuston while others questioned whether the backlash had gone too far.
'I don't know about doing it on purpose, but he is definitely being oblivious and obnoxious,' one commenter wrote. Another agreed, saying: 'He does seem like an arrogant asshole. Very bad vibes.'
One commenter, who claimed they are Australian, also weighed in and called manspreading 'rude as f*ck'. They said that because it is common in their country, some people may not realise why others see it as inconsiderate.
Others were far less convinced. One critic argued that Heuston was simply sitting normally and questioned whether his legs were actually wide enough to qualify as manspreading. Another said the assumption that he deliberately exploited Japanese politeness was 'preposterous'.
Some commenters also suggested that Hirano could have asked Heuston to move if he was uncomfortable. 'Why not just say something? Excuse me sir, could you make some room? I'm a little cramped over here.' Stop this nonsense,' one online user said.
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The Debate Behind Manspreading
So, what exactly counts as manspreading? The term generally describes a man sitting with his legs spread widely apart in a public seating area, especially when his posture takes up space meant for people sitting nearby. It has become part of a wider online debate about personal space and everyday public etiquette.
Critics say the issue comes when someone's posture leaves others with less room or forces them into an uncomfortable position. But Heuston and Hirano are far from the first celebrities to spark a manspreading debate.
In late April, Timothée Chalamet faced similar online attention after photos from a New York Knicks game showed him sitting with his legs apart beside comedian Tina Fey. The moment drew plenty of online discussion, but Fey later described Chalamet as 'super friendly' and said there was 'no beef' between them over the incident.
