Oprah Winfrey has pushed back against claims that her “very careful walk” at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month was linked to her use of weight-loss medication.
The media mogul became one of the most talked-about celebrities at the prestigious fashion event after returning to the runway circuit following several years away.
Oprah attended the show alongside her longtime friend Gayle King, with the pair drawing attention for their stylish outfits and front-row appearance.
What really captured the public’s attention, however, was Oprah’s noticeably slimmer figure and her slow, careful walk while arriving at the venue.
This moment quickly went viral online and sparked speculation about her continued use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic.
Oprah Winfrey Drew Attention With Careful Walk At Paris Fashion Week
Footage from Paris Fashion Week went viral on social media after Oprah was seen arriving at the Chloé show in early March 2026.
A short clip of the moment spread across social media, showing the veteran broadcaster stepping out of a car and making her way toward the venue with very small, cautious steps.
The unusual walk immediately sparked debate online, with fans speculating about the possible reasons behind it.
On X, one user suggested it could be a combination of Oprah’s footwear choice and past knee procedures.
“Oh, that’s why,” the user wrote. “She shouldn’t be walking on heels after knee replacement. That’s why she walking funky.”
Fans Speculated Ozempic Was Behind Oprah’s Viral Walk
Among the many theories floating online about Oprah’s walk, one suggested it might be linked to her use of weight-loss medication such as Ozempic.
“Ozempic ate her leg muscles,” one user opined on X, with another asking, “What in the Ozempic Oprah is going on here?”
The talk show icon first confirmed that she was using weight-management medication during a December 2023 interview with PEOPLE, just weeks before her 70th birthday.
Oprah described the availability of clinically authorized weight-loss treatments as a major breakthrough.
“The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier in my lifetime feels like relief. Like redemption. Like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for,” she said.
Oprah Winfrey Explains ‘90-Year-Old’ Walk
Oprah addressed the viral moment during a subsequent interview, where she reacted to online comments comparing her walk to that of a nonagenarian.
Behind-the-scenes footage of the conversation was posted on Instagram by a fan on Friday and later reposted by the billionaire broadcaster herself.
Despite the online theories about Ozempic, Oprah said the explanation for her walk was much simpler.
She clarified that she normally wears glasses or contacts and was struggling to see clearly as she walked into the event.
“I didn’t know where I was walking, I could not see,” she explained, and recalled repeatedly telling security: “I can’t see. Tell me where I’m walking.”
Oprah Linked Weight Loss Medication To Her Sobriety
Two years after discussing her weight-loss medication in an interview with PEOPLE, Oprah spoke with the outlet again in December 2025.
In the conversation, she revealed that sobriety had become an unexpected, but welcome byproduct of the treatment.
“I could [once] outdrink everyone at the table,” Oprah joked, reflecting on how much her habits have changed since starting the medication.
The media personality made the remarks while promoting “Enough: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It’s Like to Be Free,” a new book she co-authored with obesity expert Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff about the science behind weight and obesity.
Oprah Winfrey ‘Gained 20 Pounds’ When She Stopped Weight Loss Medication
Oprah says she learned an important lesson after briefly stepping away from her weight-loss medication.
Despite maintaining a healthy diet and workout routine, the entertainment icon said she gained about 20 pounds during the 12 months she spent off the treatment.
The experience came after Oprah suddenly decided to stop taking GLP-1 injections less than six months after she had first started using them.
“I tried to beat the medication,” she admitted.
Although some predicted she would regain the weight quickly after stopping treatment, Oprah said the pounds returned gradually but steadily.
This outcome ultimately convinced her that the medication may be necessary for the long term.
“It’s going to be a lifetime thing,” she said.
