Leonardo DiCaprio Becomes a Meme Again With Off-Camera Moment at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards—Netizens Claim His Viral Hand-Gesture Video “Seems Gay”

Key Points:

After the iconic Django Unchained meme, Leonardo DiCaprio has once again impressed the internet with a fresh meme moment—this time at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards on January 11. Unlike his earlier viral moments, this one didn’t come from a movie scene, an acceptance speech or anything scripted, but from a candid commercial break during the ceremony.

During the 83rd annual Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, cameras briefly caught DiCaprio in an animated, off-air conversation across the room. With no audio and plenty of background chatter, the “One Battle After Another” star was seen smiling, mouthing words and using exaggerated hand gestures to get his point across. The short, unscripted clip quickly went viral online. 

See Also: Trump Vetoes Colorado Clean Water Bill—Then Tells State’s Officials to ‘Rot in Hell’

The moment appears to have taken place shortly after the animated film KPop Demon Hunters secured two major wins of the night—Best Original Song for Golden and Best Animated Picture. In the clip, DiCaprio seems to re-enact someone’s reaction to the win, clapping, looking around in amusement and dramatically mimicking surprise. Social media users immediately began speculating about what he was saying.

According to amateur lip-reading by netizens and users on platforms like Grok, many were convinced DiCaprio was referencing K-pop during the exchange. “I was watching you with the K-pop thing,” he appeared to say, before mimicking confusion and excitement: “Who’s that? Is that… oh, K-pop?” His animated hand gestures sparked laughter online, with some users making memes and jokingly describing his gestures as “gay,” a label that quickly became part of the meme discourse.

While it remains unclear who DiCaprio was speaking to at the time, the moment struck a chord with audiences online. Amid high fashion, big wins and polished speeches, it was DiCaprio’s off-guard, relatable behaviour that ended up stealing the internet’s attention.

Despite being nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, DiCaprio did not take home the trophy, losing to Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme (2025). His film One Battle After Another, however, earned nine nominations and won multiple awards. Throughout the evening, DiCaprio appeared relaxed, cheerful and in good spirits.

See Also: Trump’s Eye on Greenland Receives Warning Strike from Denmark, Says They Will Shoot First, Ask Questions Later

At 51, the famously private actor mingled comfortably, laughed along with jokes at his expense and seemed to genuinely enjoy the night. Fans online were quick to point out that the viral clip revealed a more playful side of DiCaprio, with one commenter writing, “Bro just gave us another generational GIF,” while others said he seemed to enjoy award shows more than expected.

Often described as cool, composed, handsome and elusive, DiCaprio’s unscripted moment sparked a wave of affection online. One fan commented, “Bro just gave new meme material,” while another wrote, “I hereby approve this meme. Ghey.” Another summed it up neatly: “DiCaprio dropping pure enthusiasm bombs in that ad break is the unscripted Globes magic we crave.”

DiCaprio may not have walked away with a Golden Globe this year, but his few seconds of candid conversation were enough to dominate social media. In the end, the actor gave fans something just as valuable, a fresh meme.

[VP]

Suggested Reading: