{"id":2292621,"date":"2026-02-21T13:37:56","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T13:37:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2292621"},"modified":"2026-02-21T13:37:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T13:37:56","slug":"leighton-meester-has-broken-her-silence-on-her-viral-red-carpet-exchange-with-ariana-grande","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/leighton-meester-has-broken-her-silence-on-her-viral-red-carpet-exchange-with-ariana-grande\/","title":{"rendered":"Leighton Meester Has Broken Her Silence on Her Viral Red Carpet Exchange With Ariana Grande"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"dff5e54b-1794-47bc-adee-40ed8e7ddddd\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/erin-foster-on-leighton-meester-casting\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/erin-foster-on-leighton-meester-casting\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/erin-foster-on-leighton-meester-casting\">Leighton Meester<\/a> is one of the most talked-about women in the world. And from her season two role in<em> <\/em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/nobody-wants-this-off-screen-couples\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/nobody-wants-this-off-screen-couples\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/nobody-wants-this-off-screen-couples\"><em>Nobody Wants This<\/em><\/a> to her <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/adam-brody-critics-choice-awards-speech\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/adam-brody-critics-choice-awards-speech\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/adam-brody-critics-choice-awards-speech\">sweet relationship with Adam Brody<\/a>, the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/katie-cassidy-serena-van-der-woodsen\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/katie-cassidy-serena-van-der-woodsen\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/entertainment\/tv-and-film\/katie-cassidy-serena-van-der-woodsen\"><em>Gossip Girl <\/em><\/a>star never fails to make headlines.<\/p>\n<p>This week, Meester was particularly front and centre, appearing on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/penn-badgley-relationships\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/penn-badgley-relationships\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/penn-badgley-relationships\">Penn Badgley<\/a>&#8216;s popular &#8216;<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCy5fBUyyVlFVNllV1LEdqjA\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCy5fBUyyVlFVNllV1LEdqjA\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">Podcrushed<\/a>&#8216; podcast. And during the conversation, the 39-year-old broke her silence on her viral red carpet exchange with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/ariana-grande-on-cynthia-erivo-award-snub\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/ariana-grande-on-cynthia-erivo-award-snub\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/celebrity-news\/ariana-grande-on-cynthia-erivo-award-snub\">Ariana Grande<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"1c78d496-c24a-4ae9-bf4e-ed28c5d0623b-0\">The two A-list women went viral for a shared moment at the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/critics-choice-awards\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/critics-choice-awards\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/critics-choice-awards\">Critics Choice Awards<\/a> in January, where their red carpet exchange became an internet moment.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"pt-3 pb-4 mb-4 border-b border-solid border-[#333]\">\n<span class=\"&#10;after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t-[#333] after:border-t after:border-solid&#10;before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t-[#333] before:border-t before:border-solid&#10;font-article-heading pb-3 !text-base font-bold uppercase sm:text-sm text-[#333] flex custom-thumbnail-list-styles\"><br \/>\nYou may like<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The footage shows Grande telling Meester &#8220;I love you so much! Wow, wow, wow,&#8221; as she walks past her, before Meester can be seen repeating the statement to the woman next to her, and laughing.<\/p>\n<p>Lip readers and online detectives weighed in on the moment at the time, with some social media users criticising Meester for her &#8220;mocking&#8221; response.<\/p>\n<p>And while the <em>Gossip Girl <\/em>star has previously remained quiet about the situation, she opened up about the viral exchange this week, explaining that she had misheard, mistaking Grande&#8217;s comment for a joke about her crying.<\/p>\n<div class=\"see-more see-more--clipped\" id=\"2024205922524930247\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet hawk-ignore\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Leighton Meester explains her reaction to her viral encounter with Ariana Grande at the Critics Choice Awards:<br \/>\n\u201cI was with Kate [my publicist]. And she [Ariana] said something to me. And then Kate turns around and we both heard that she goes, \u2018hi, I love you. Wah, wah, wah\u2019. I\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/WgR6Da4VYf<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cantworkitout\/status\/2024205922524930247\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cantworkitout\/status\/2024205922524930247\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">February 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"e773b8a5-330b-4456-a8c2-0883c7f33425\">Meester explained that she had felt very &#8220;raw and emotional&#8221; at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, the year before, crying during the ceremony.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-AGvyGbJfeJ6nmQ7pdATLUN\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-AGvyGbJfeJ6nmQ7pdATLUN slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;But like a few weeks ago, I was going to the same award show, and I was like: \u2018Oh my god, remember when I cried last time?\u2019&#8221; she recalled. &#8220;Tears were coming out. And then I walked by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/ariana-grande\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/ariana-grande\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/ariana-grande\">Ariana Grande<\/a> on the red carpet, and if you just walk by her, you\u2019re on the internet. And she said something I couldn\u2019t hear.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was with my publicist, Kate,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;So [Grande] was walking by, and she said something to me. And then Kate turns around, and we both heard: \u2018Hi, I love you, wah, wah, wah!\u2019 I couldn\u2019t hear &#8211; she was walking away.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Believing Grande&#8217;s comment to be a joke about her crying, Meester continued: &#8220;I was like: \u2018Oh, she\u2019s kind of a comedy queen, she\u2019s just being funny.\u2019 I thought that was something she would do, and I was like, \u2018Oh my god, that\u2019s cute and funny.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Then it turned out she didn\u2019t say that,&#8221; she revealed. &#8220;And then I saw her the next week, and I was like: \u2018I have to tell you, like, I thought\u2026\u2019 and she\u2019s like, \u2018You thought I said wah, wah, wah? That\u2019s so funny!\u2019 And I was like, \u2018No, it\u2019s an old person not being able to hear!\u2019 That\u2019s so embarrassing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Well, this is hilarious.<\/p>\n<div class=\"block\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet=\"\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<p>TOPICS<\/p>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"flex-none p-2.5 text-white bg-neutral-950 hover:bg-neutral-500 hover:underline hover:underline-offset-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/ariana-grande\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"\/tag\/ariana-grande\"><br \/>\nAriana Grande<br \/>\n<\/a><br \/>\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"flex-none p-2.5 text-white bg-neutral-950 hover:bg-neutral-500 hover:underline hover:underline-offset-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.marieclaire.co.uk\/tag\/critics-choice-awards\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"\/tag\/critics-choice-awards\"><br \/>\nCritics Choice Awards<br \/>\n<\/a><br \/>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.marieclaire.co.uk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Leighton Meester is one of the most talked-about women in the world. And from her season two role in Nobody Wants This to her sweet relationship with Adam Brody, the Gossip Girl star never fails to make headlines. This week, Meester was particularly front and centre, appearing on Penn Badgley&#8216;s popular &#8216;Podcrushed&#8216; podcast. And during [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2292622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25177],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2292621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrities"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Leighton-Meester-Has-Broken-Her-Silence-on-Her-Viral-Red.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2292621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2292621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2292621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2292623,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2292621\/revisions\/2292623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2292622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2292621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2292621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2292621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}