Drew Barrymore has admitted she’s been warned to tone down her touchy-feely approach during interviews, after getting quite hands on with the stars that join her on her eponymous talk show.
The 49-year-old, from California, admitted she’s been told to keep her hands to herself in the past while she chatted with Wicked star’s, Cynthia Erivo, 37, and Ariana Grande, 31, on Tuesday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
The actress’ admission came to light when she asked Erivo if her co-star, Grande, is ‘as touchy’ as her.
Erivo explained she’s ‘used to’ Grande’s physical affection and even suggested it’s strange when the pair aren’t in reaching distance.
She said: “If it’s not, like, connected, I’m like, ‘what’s wrong? What’s happening? Where are you?’ We walk hand in hand very often.
“Like, if we’re not walking hand in hand, we’ll find each other somewhere.”
The Wicked star joined the actress on her talk show (Instagram/@thedrewbarrymoreshow)
The West End superstar went on to say that some people can shy away from physical connection, assuming human touch ‘can only be romantic’.
She added Grande uses touch to communicate with her, whether it’s a ‘squeeze of a hand’, a hug or ‘a pinch of the finger’.
“However we need to communicate is how we need to communicate”, Erivo continued, “And I think we don’t give enough credit to how we need to communicate with our friends physically.”
The multi-award winning Charlie’s Angels actress agreed with the sentiment, welcoming Erivo with a bear hug and said she would love to see people ‘more comfortable with physical touch’.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)
However, Barrymore admitted her affinity for affection has prompted some pushback from some of her guests.
She confessed: “I’m so touchy! People have to warn me,
“They’re like, ‘back off a little bit’. I’m like, ‘why?'”
The actor went on to tell Erivo: “I was just hugging you just now and I thought, ‘I am so lucky to embrace and actually physically be near someone who is breaking records'”, referring to how the Universal Studios movie has ‘made box office history’ by becoming the highest grossing film based on a Broadway musical.
It’s not the first time the host has has hit headlines for her hands-on approach with talk show guests, having faced criticism from fans when Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart joined her on the couch.
While Stewart brushed the host off in a way to make some space between the pair on the sofa, Winfrey defended the film star when she was accused of making guests ‘uncomfortable’.
The once child-actress explained earlier this year to Entertainment Tonight that she likes ‘to be around people’ and struggled in the pandemic amid social distancing.
