A resurfaced television clip appears to show Russell Brand leaving Lindsay Lohan increasingly uneasy as he joked that being held in prison was “tiresome and lonely”.
The resurfaced footage, filmed for The Jonathan Ross Show in 2014, featured the comedian sitting beside the Hollywood actress on a mustard-coloured sofa as they discussed their separate encounters with the law.
The exchange has drawn renewed attention after emerging as the 51-year-old Brand begins a ten-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault, with viewers focusing on what they describe as Lohan’s visibly uncomfortable response.
During the roughly two-minute segment, Lohan, 40, initially appears to adjust her skirt before shifting towards the very edge of the sofa, putting as much distance as possible between herself and Brand.
Brand, however, continues moving closer while they speak, leaning towards her and briefly touching her shoulder.
The conversation begins when Ross asks Brand: “You’ve never been jailed for your behaviour?”
Brand then recalls his 2012 arrest in New Orleans after he grabbed a photographer’s phone and threw it through a window. He was released on bail and later ordered to complete community service.
The convicted rapist replied jokingly: “No. Sometimes they would leave me in police cells for a while, I didn’t like that very much. It was tiresome, it was lonely, it’s hard to build rapport.”
Russell Brand appeared to leave Lindsay Lohan increasingly uncomfortable while joking about prison being “tiresome and lonely” on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2014
During the two-minute exchange, Lohan, 40, appears to pull down her skirt before moving towards the far end of the sofa, away from Brand
Brand continued leaning towards Lohan and at one point reached over to tap her on the shoulder
As the studio audience laughed, Brand touched Lohan’s shoulder and added: “Like New Orleans, it’s worse getting arrested in your country than it is in mine.
“Everyone else had an orange boiler suit on, I felt so left out.”
Still smiling as he made light of his arrest, Brand continued: “The police [here] are so much more friendly.
“For a start, in this country we cuff the hands in front and not behind.
“The police cars, all crunched up in there. They took all my drugs from me! In fact it’s boring in the cell, that’s when you need drugs, take the edge off. Cruel really!”
Lohan appeared to offer a polite smile and reacted with an “oh my goodness” before describing her own considerably more serious experience in custody.
“I was actually in solitary confinement for 14 days,” she told Ross.
“Solitary confinement is actually very different, you leave your cell for one hour a day and you don’t go outside.
“I don’t think anyone knows that but the other girls in the other cells were in there for murder… They [the Prison Officers] said it was for ‘safety purposes’, I said, ‘what am I going to do?’
“I made a mistake, I went to a club and then I drank and I drove home and that’s not the right thing to do but to put someone in that position, it was very scary, it was very jarring.”
In May 2010, a judge ruled that Lohan had breached her probation by failing to attend compulsory drink-driving classes and meetings. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by 90 days in an inpatient rehabilitation programme.
Because of overcrowding, the actress served 14 days of the sentence. Despite the circumstances, she later described the experience as “weirdly” cathartic.
“The weirdest part for me was I finally had silence in my life,” she recalled.
“As terrified as I was and as scared as I was, I finally felt like I didn’t have to answer to anyone and I didn’t have to do anything for anyone. That was the weirdest part of it.”
When Ross asked whether the experience may ultimately have benefited her, Lohan replied: “Two days would have been enough.”
The emotional exchange has resurfaced amid a new police investigation, following accusations of sexual abuse and predatory behaviour from at least eight additional women.
Brand could face a second trial after further alleged victims came forward, The Daily Mail reported on Friday.
Police are also completing evidence files being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service concerning claims made by two more women, including an allegation involving the rape of a 16-year-old.
Brand was sentenced on Monday to ten years and six months in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault.
He is being held at HMP Wandsworth, where sources claim his trademark confidence has begun to fade.
“When he arrived, he came floating in almost as though he was the Messiah,” a prison source told the Daily Mail this week.
“There was this air of superiority about him – but you could tell immediately that it was an act.
“He was incredibly pale, almost as though he was going to be sick. Whatever confidence he was trying to project, you could see the fear beneath it.”
Brand was reportedly “absolutely horrified” when he saw the cell where he would be living.
The source said: “It was as though the reality of what had happened had finally sunk in. This wasn’t a temporary inconvenience or something he could talk his way out of.
“This was going to be his life for the next seven years. He asked whether he could have some privacy when using the toilet, which gives you an idea of how difficult he’s finding the adjustment.
“Prison cells aren’t exactly designed with personal dignity in mind.”
A woman visiting her son at the prison on Thursday said staff had warned Brand to think carefully about his conduct.
“He’s quite an arrogant person really, so the staff told him ‘arrogance doesn’t work around here’,” she said.
The prison source added: “He’s been advised that he might want to consider having his hair cut to make himself look a bit less conspicuous.
“He’s already received some abuse from other prisoners. Someone shouted: ‘You’re not a superstar in here, Brand. You’re just another nonce.’”
“Brand is in just about the worst possible position for someone entering prison.
“He’s probably the most high-profile prisoner in the country and he doesn’t possess the skills needed to survive in that environment.
“If he tries to be too clever, he’ll get lamped. If he takes the piss out of someone or tries to belittle another prisoner, he could get a serious beating.
“At the same time, the problem for Brand is that he doesn’t even have to do anything wrong. He could get a beating simply for being Russell Brand.
“His fame makes him a target, and there will be prisoners who would love nothing more than to make a name for themselves by attacking him.”
A convicted robber released from Wandsworth on Wednesday after serving half of a six-year sentence also told the Daily Mail: “Russell Brand will absolutely hate it.
“It’s the solid boredom more than anything. And the other prisoners won’t give a damn that he was famous.
“They’ve got enough of their own worries and troubles to be impressed by that. He will have his own TV and stuff. But he will feel so lonely.”