Leighton Meester clarifies viral moment with Ariana Grande at Critics Choice Awards 2026

Leighton Meester clears up misunderstanding over viral Ariana Grande red carpet moment at Critics Choice Awards

Leighton Meester is addressing a viral red carpet moment involving Ariana Grande at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards.

During last month’s ceremony, cameras captured Grande telling Meester, “Love you so much. Wow, wow wow,” as the two crossed paths. The clip quickly circulated online after Meester was seen repeating “Wow, wow, wow” and laughing, prompting speculation from some viewers that she was mocking the singer.

Wow, wow, wow. 🤩 This moment between Ariana Grande, Leighton Meester, and Adam Brody has changed us for good. #CriticsChoice #AwardsSeason pic.twitter.com/I3bpqrdLvZ

— E! News (@enews) January 4, 2026

Speaking on Podcrushed, hosted by her former Gossip Girl co-star Penn Badgley, Meester clarified what happened. She explained that she misheard Grande while walking the carpet with her publicist and believed the singer had jokingly referenced Meester becoming emotional the previous year when her husband, Adam Brody, won an award.

@podcrushed

We can finally put this to bed!#arianagrande #leightonmeester #awardsshow #embarrassingstory

♬ original sound - Podcrushed

“I couldn’t hear her. She was walking away,” Meester said, adding that she thought Grande had playfully said, “Wah, wah, wah,” in a comedic tone. Meester assumed the remark was lighthearted and responded in kind.

However, she later learned that Grande had not said that at all. Meester shared that she clarified the misunderstanding when she saw Grande the following week, describing the mix-up as embarrassing but humorous.

The explanation appears to put to rest online speculation about tension between the two performers. The brief exchange highlights how quickly red carpet moments can go viral — and how easily they can be misinterpreted without context.