Dakota Johnson Responds After Drew Barrymore Praises Awkward Ellen DeGeneres Interview

It’s been almost two years since Dakota Johnson broke the internet by telling Ellen DeGeneres she really was invited to her 30th birthday party, and people still bring it up. Drew Barrymore mentioned it during Johnson’s stop on The Drew Barrymore Show Thursday, praising Johnson for the “amazing” interview with her day time talk show rival. Johnson instantly knew what Barrymore was referring to and laughed about it.

On Barrymore’s show, Johnson and the host talked about what it was like for Johnson to live next to comedian Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNeary. “Molly is amazing. They are great neighbors,” Johnson said. “Except they have a lot of parties and they don’t invite me.” Johnson threw some shade and the small audience laughed.

“Is this for real because people have gotten in trouble for claiming not being invited to your parties,” Barrymore said. Johnson tried to hold in a laugh, until Barrymore continued. “That was amazing by the way,” Barrymore said. “Like amazing.” Johnson began laughing hysterically as the crowd applauded. After composing herself, Johnson then complained about her other neighbor cutting her hedges without asking.

The “amazing” interview Barrymore is referring to is Johnson’s famous 2019 stop on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when DeGeneres insisted Johnson did not invite her to her 30th birthday party. “Actually, no, that’s not the truth, Ellen,” Johnson said in a surprisingly serious way for a daytime talk show. “You were invited. Last time I was on the show last year, you gave me a bunch of s- about not inviting you, but I didn’t even know you wanted to be invited. I didn’t even know you liked me!”

“Of course I like you. You knew I liked you! You’ve been on the show many times and don’t I show like?” DeGeneres told Johnson. Things got even more awkward when a show staffer confirmed to DeGeneres that she was invited to Johnson’s party. Then, Johnson said Tig Notaro performed at the party and called Notaro her “favorite comedian… other than you.” DeGeneres tried to cool the temperature by joking that her favorite actress is Jennifer Aniston.

The whole situation got even more controversial when many figured out that the reason DeGeneres likely couldn’t be at Johnson’s party was because that same weekend, she was at the Dallas Cowboys game with President George W. Bush. That was already a controversial decision before Johnson’s interview, and DeGeneres was forced to defend being friends with the former Republican president.