Teyana Taylor, Leonardo DiCaprio Golden Globes drama sees new twist

Teyana Taylor is clearing the air about Leonardo DiCaprio’s animated Golden Globes moment that took over social media, revealing that the viral clip didn’t quite unfold the way fans initially thought. 

The actress and singer addressed the buzz during her appearance on The Tonight Show on Wednesday, Jan. 14, where she continued celebrating her first-ever Golden Globe win.

The clip in question, shared on the ceremony’s official TikTok page, showed DiCaprio laughing and gesturing enthusiastically during the broadcast, leading many viewers to assume he was chatting with Taylor.

She admitted she initially thought the same. 

“Okay, so look, yesterday, I thought I broke the Da Vinci Code, right?” Taylor told Jimmy Fallon, referencing her earlier comments that suggested they were bonding over KPop Demon Hunters during the show.

Taylor explained that her excitement stemmed from the fact that her daughters, Iman “Junie” Tayla Shumpert Jr., 10, and Rue Rose Shumpert, 5, are huge fans of the Netflix animated film, which won Best Motion Picture (Animated) and Best Original Song that night. 

At first glance, she assumed DiCaprio was reacting to her. 

“So when I first seen it, I didn't watch the whole thing. So I was like, ‘Oh you're talking about Kpop Demon Hunters, he's talking about me,’” she said.

But after watching the full clip, and seeing fans attempt to lip-read the exchange, Taylor realised she needed answers. 

She picked up the phone and called her longtime friend. 

“I was like, ‘You can't be talking to me, were you talking to me?’ Because I already told people you was talking to me,” she admitted. 

According to Taylor, DiCaprio had apparently discussed KPop Demon Hunters more than once that night. 

“So apparently he had two KPop Demon Hunter conversations that night, so KPop Demon Hunters was just in his mouth all night,” she joked.

The situation sparked some playful jealousy on Taylor’s part. 

“Who else is you chewing your invisible gum with?” she teased, adding that DiCaprio didn’t even remember who he had been talking to at the table.

Despite the confusion, the moment only added to the buzz surrounding their film One Battle After Another, which picked up four Golden Globe wins, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Taylor’s award for her role as Perfidia Beverly Hills. 

Both stars are now heading into the 2026 Actor Awards on March 1 with individual nominations, proving that even a misunderstood viral moment can end on a high note.