Nicole Kidman Reacts to Viral Rami Malek Interaction at the Golden Globes

Anyone who watched this year’s Golden Globes (or scrolled through a list of its most awkward moments) will likely remember the moment that Nicole Kidman seemingly ignored Rami Malek onstage as the latter moved to greet the former, something that was, naturally, captured in clip form for the Internet to enjoy.

As it turns out, the two actors are actually good friends, making the apparent slight all the more uncomfortable for Kidman, who opened up about the moment while speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday.

Sharing that she was “mortified” by the whole thing, Kidman explained that she simply didn’t realize Malek was behind her when he took the stage after Bohemian Rhapsody was awarded Best Picture.

“We’re really good friends,” she said. “I just did not feel his hand on my back.”

“I love that man. He’s so gentle and softly spoken. He’s a darling,” Kidman added of Malek, noting that they were “both in a bit of a daze” in the moment.

The Destroyer star added that after the fact, she and Malek discussed the incident and even had a laugh about the whole thing.

“He sent me an email. I sent him an email… we were laughing, actually,” Kidman said.

The actors later reunited on the red carpet at the show, hugging and stopping to talk as they posed for photos.

Malek previously shared his take on the moment during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he was first introduced to the now-viral clip of himself and Kidman.

“I’ve known her for many years, despite as it may seem from that video,” he said. “So I thought I could easily go up and say hi, but in a moment like that, it was very awkward. I have a feeling this is probably haunting me on the internet.”

“Yeah, this is going to be around for a little while,” Kimmel cracked in response.

The Bohemian Rhapsody star further opened up about the interaction while speaking to ET last week.

“She’s been a friend for a long time, and that’s why the whole thing I find absolutely ridiculous and hilarious,” Malek said. “But I’m having a laugh about it all.”

“I got up there, and I was in such a daze I don’t even know how I put together a collection of words that sounded coherent,” he added. “So the fact that I knew Nicole [was there], I was like, ‘Oh, here’s a bit of safety.’ And then she just didn’t see me. It was as simple as that.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Jeff Kravitz