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What Really Went Down Between Leighton Meester and Ariana Grande at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards
Ariana Grande had a full fangirl moment when she spotted Leighton Meester on the red carpet at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards — but a split-second exchange between the two stars quickly turned into an internet-wide debate.
While walking the carpet on Sunday, January 4, Ariana, 32, lit up upon seeing Leighton and her husband, Adam Brody. The pop star, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Wicked: For Good, could barely contain her excitement as she shouted, “I love you so much!” toward the couple.
Clearly overwhelmed, Ariana clutched her chest and exclaimed, “Wow, wow, wow,” before continuing on her way.
Leighton’s response — repeating “wah, wah, wah” with a laugh — is what sparked confusion online. While some viewers initially interpreted the moment as teasing, others were quick to point out that the line could be a direct reference to Gossip Girl, the iconic series that made Meester a household name.
The clip quickly circulated online, racking up millions of views, with one TikTok alone earning more than 1.1 million likes. On X (formerly Twitter), reactions were split.
“Was Leighton making fun of her??” one person questioned. “Now why she make fun of Ari’s ‘wow’ and laugh with the staff??? rude???” another wrote. “Leighton making fun of Ariana saying ‘wow’ um…” a third added.
But as fast as the criticism rolled in, fans rushed to Leighton’s defense, insisting the moment was being blown wildly out of proportion.
“You can even tell how Ariana says that in a sarcastic way, cause it’s all part of the jokeee! she was not laughing at her, she was laughing WITH HER,” one TikTok user argued.
Others claimed Leighton’s response was actually a reference to Gossip Girl, where her iconic character Blair Waldorf delivered a similar line (which you can watch here).
“Guys, it was a reference from Gossip Girl. Leighton was not being mean,” one fan commented. “She wasn’t mocking, Ariana said, ‘Wow wow wow.’ Leighton said, ‘Wah wah wah.’ That is the reference,” another added.
Some fans were simply thrilled to see a hint of Blair energy resurface. “It’s not Leighton, ITS BLAIR,” one user declared.
Additional defenders pointed out that Leighton appeared more stunned than shady. “She wasn’t mocking, she was charmed and repeating it playfully cuz Ari’s delivery was so adorably extra 😭 pure fangirl energy on both sides,” one tweet read.
Another theorized, “lol she probably just liked the way she said it sometimes i repeat things ppl say too not in a mean way tho.”
“Leighton looked stunned and giggly. It’s a cute convo..” someone else added.
For context, 39-year-old Leighton rose to fame as Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl in 2007 and attended the ceremony to support Adam, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Nobody Wants This. The award ultimately went to Seth Rogen for The Studio.
Meanwhile, Ariana was up for Best Supporting Actress for her turn as Glinda in Wicked: For Good, but lost to Amy Madigan, who took home the trophy for Weapons.
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