She’s as touchy-feely “As Ever.”
Meghan Markle playfully roasted Drew Barrymore’s notoriously clingy behavior while appearing on Thursday’s episode of the actress’ eponymous morning show.
“I feel like once I’m with someone, I mean, I like to connect. I might, you know, octopus,” Barrymore told the Duchess of Sussex while sitting extremely close to her on the interview couch.
“I’ve heard you like to connect,” Markle cheekily jabbed with a laugh, referring to Barrymore’s reputation for her clingy nature.
Markle, who reached out to touch Barrymore’s hand, didn’t seem bothered by her closeness and told the “Charlie’s Angels” star that the way she exhibits physical connection is “so sweet though.”
“We’ve missed human connection, certainly after the pandemic and everything else, we crave that,” Markle said. “We crave being able to go, ‘Hi, my friend. Are you here?’ And to really be able to hold and touch and embrace someone.”
The former “Suits” star, 43, reflected on how in-person bonding correlates to her new Netflix cooking show, “With Love, Meghan,” which premiered Tuesday to mixed reviews.
“I think about with the show, certainly what hospitality has felt like for me is, how do you make people feel comfortable,” she said. “How do you show up for them in spaces where they might feel like, ‘I don’t know, is this really where I should be?’”
She continued, “I go, ‘Yes, you belong here. Let’s all have fun with it and not take it too seriously but see each other.’”
While Markle seemingly embraced Barrymore’s excessive touching, a body language expert claimed the duchess actually felt uncomfortable during the segment.
Judi James told the Daily Mail that Markle “seems to be using her hands to illustrate or emphasize a point, but the positioning suggests she is not totally open to any touching or hugging at this point.”
The body analyst added that Barrymore “signals a sense of warm friendship and affection,” whereas Markle appeared “more distanced emotionally and keener to communicate with the camera than with her host.”
Barrymore’s forward approach on her show has been a repeating theme for years.
The “Never Been Kissed” star was previously slammed for being “cringy” by holding Oprah Winfrey’s hand and caressing her arm during a December 2023 interview. Last November, Barrymore also awkwardly stroked Martha Stewart’s back, prompting the cookbook author to push the TV host away.
Barrymore, 50, addressed the backlash, claiming that viewers misunderstood the situation.
Meanwhile, Markle’s own touchy-feely behavior made headlines earlier this month when a royal staffer claimed that her constant hugging made Prince Harry’s brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles III, uncomfortable.
