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Drew Barrymore
Photo by Drew Barrymore/Instagram

Drew Barrymore admits that she’s been asked to stop touching people — while touching ‘Wicked’ royalty

Many have questioned the host's sense of personal space.

Drew Barrymore has been lighting up screens with her charm and charisma as the host of The Drew Barrymore Show, which is currently in its fifth season. Recently, many have shared their thoughts on her interview style, noting how she frequently touches, hugs, or holds hands with her guests in what many deem an invasion of personal space.

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While most of Barrymore’s guests seem unbothered by her touchy-feely style, Martha Stewart playfully let the host know that she wasn’t on board. Barrymore is aware of what’s being said about her interview style, and she acknowledged it before the start of the fifth season saying, “I’ll try to practice physical distance, which is not my strong point.” In one episode with guest star Dax Shepard, Barrymore admitted that she feels embarrassed when she hears people saying that she’s “too touchy,” but she can’t seem to stop. Shepard said that he, too, was very touchy, saying that they were both “love addict-y.”

The topic of being touchy was once again brought up in a recent episode, this time with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo. At some point during the interview, Barrymore commented on Erivo’s evident connection with her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, asking whether the pop singer was really touchy, to which Erivo answered, “Yes.” Barrymore then said that she’s been told to “back off a little bit,” while gently caressing Erivo’s arm. Thankfully, Erivo is fine with the affectionate touching, telling the host, “I’m the welcoming Capricorn. It’s like ‘I love you. You can touch.’”

Cynthia Erivo’s thoughts on physical connection

Barrymore wholeheartedly agreed with Erivo, fully understanding what she said about her connection to Grande. “Because physical connection… I’m single. I’m not dating anyone. I don’t have that in my life, but I don’t know how I would ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling,” Barrymore explained. Erivo then expressed that some people may have a “fear” of physically connecting with someone, assuming that “physical connection can only be romantic,” to which Barrymore said that’s exactly her point. The host also added she was more “timid” with physical touch in past romantic relationships.

rivo and Grande have been interviewed and photographed together countless times, often while holding hands or with their hands gently placed on each other’s waists. It’s a type of connection that Erivo says she’s grown accustomed to. And if there’s no physical connection between them, the Wicked star said she feels the loss. “We walk hand-in-hand very often. Like, if we’re not walking hand-in-hand, we’ll find each other somewhere,” she told Barrymore.

Erivo explained that sometimes communication happens through physical touch, noting that she and Grande often expressed themselves non-verbally during the Wicked press tour, squeezing each other’s hands or giving a light pinch to convey something. “I don’t think we give enough credit to how we communicate with our friends physically,” she stated. Barrymore enthusiastically agreed and added, “I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world.”

Erivo and Grande are set to return for part 2 of Wicked, titled Wicked: For Good, which will hit theaters on Nov. 21, 2025.


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Author
Image of Jean Mendoza
Jean Mendoza
Jean has been a freelance writer since 2007 and has contributed to outlets such as Lomography, Inquisitr, and Grunge. Her expertise include true crime, history, and weird and interesting facts. Her spare time is spent listening to podcasts, reading books, and gaming.