Drew Barrymore Tells Cynthia Erivo Why She Can Be ‘So Touchy’

Drew Barrymore and Cynthia Erivo are bonding over their shared interest in physical connection.

When Erivo, 37, stopped by The Drew Barrymore Show on Tuesday, Dec. 10 to promote Wicked, Barrymore, 49, asked whether it’s true that Ariana Grande “is as touchy” as herself. “I’m so touchy,” the host said. “People have to warn me, they’re like, ‘Back off a little bit.’ And I’m like, ‘Why?’ “

“I think I’m sort of used to it now,” Erivo responded. “If [we’re] not connected, I’m like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s happening? Where are you?’ You know what I mean? We walk hand-in-hand very often. Like, if we’re not walking hand-in-hand, we’ll find each other somewhere.”

Erivo and Grande, 31, kept a close physical distance during many of their interviews for Wicked; the pair even inadvertently created a viral moment when Grande took hold of Erivo’s finger while they conducted an interview with Out.com in November.

“Because physical connection — you know, I’m single, I’m not dating anyone,” Barrymore, who shares daughters Olive and Frankie with ex-husband Will Kopelman, added during her conversation with Erivo. “I don’t have that in my life but I don’t know how I would ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling.” 

“I think we get a bit afraid of physical connection. I think we assume that physical connection can only be romantic,” Erivo added.

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Barrymore made Erivo laugh when she said Erivo was explaining her point “so much better than I did.” “In fact, I think when there is a romantic connection, I’m far more timid,” the host responded.

Erivo further explained her and Grande’s deep connection and pointed out that sometimes a touch can communicate more than words.

“That’s sometimes how she and I communicate, we might be talking to someone or I might need to, like, communicate something to her. And it’s just a squeeze of the hand or just like a pinch of a finger,” she added, referencing her and Grande’s viral interview. “Or a hug. However we need to communicate, it is how we need to communicate. And I think we don’t give enough credit to how we communicate with our friends physically.”

“And I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world,” Barrymore added.

Wicked is in theaters now.