Christopher Nolan has revealed that he bans Ugg boots and slippers from his film sets, telling Gayle King in a television interview that the footwear acts as a "signifier of modernity" that can pull actors out of character. The comment came amid the press cycle for his blockbuster "The Odyssey", raising the image of Ancient Greek figures secretly craving cosy sheepskin footwear between takes.

Nolan singled out Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt as Ugg devotees who have had to abandon their favourite shoes while working with him, noting that actors sometimes turn up in the slippers because other footwear hurts their feet. He clarified he has nothing against the brand itself, calling Uggs "great", and the article goes on to note the wider popularity of the Santa Monica-founded label among stars including Kate Moss, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio.