Drew Barrymore warned about being touchy with talk show guests

Drew Barrymore and Cynthia Erivo get candid on physical communication.

The “Wicked” star, 37, explained on Tuesday’s episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show” why she and costar Ariana Grande, 31, are continuously in close physical contact and how they use it as a way to deliver messages to each other during subtly during conversations. 

“Is it true that [Grande] is as touchy? I’m so touchy,” Barrymore, 49, admitted. “People have to warn me, they’re like, ‘Back off a little bit.’ And I’m like, ‘Why?’”

The talk show host has been known for her up close and personal interview style, which includes holding guests’ hands during interviews and hugging them throughout the show.

Barrymore confessed that she is working on her “proximity” and trying to maintain a good amount of “physical distance” from guests during the current fifth season. 

But when it came to Erivo’s interview, the “Harriet” actress was totally fine with Barrymore wanting to hold hands throughout their conversation.

“I’m the welcoming Capricorn,” Erivo teased. “It’s like, ‘I love you. You can touch.’” 

She went on to note that between filming “Wicked” and going on a press tour with Grande, the two became accustomed to being attached.

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

Which is a dream like scenario for Barrymore.

“That’s how I want life to be,” she quipped. “Because physical connection… I’m single. I’m not dating anyone. I don’t have that in my life, but I don’t know how I would ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling.”

As Erivo puts it, people let fear get in the way.

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

Erivo acknowledged that reaching out can be a silent way of communicating about your feelings, without speaking, at a given moment.

“Sometimes you can’t say anything and you’re in a room and… it’s just a squeeze of the hand,” she said. “And that’s sometimes how [Grande] and I communicate, we might be talking to someone, or I might need to communicate something to her and it’s just a squeeze of the hand or just a pinch of a finger, or a hug.”

Erivo added, “However we need to communicate, it’s how we need to communicate. And I think we don’t give enough credit to how we communicate with our friends physically.”

And yes, Barrymore is fully onboard. “I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world,” the actress concluded.