An uncomfortable backstage moment at the Golden Globe Awards is making the rounds online after a brief interaction involving Leonardo DiCaprio, Jacob Elordi, and Elordi’s mother, Melissa, appeared to go sideways.
Earlier this week, the Golden Globes’ official TikTok account shared a short clip showing Elordi introducing his mother to a circle of Hollywood legends backstage. What started as a polite round of greetings quickly turned into an awkward beat that viewers couldn’t stop replaying.
Jacob Elordi’s mom seemingly ignored Leonardo DiCaprio at Golden Globes
In the video, Elordi calmly works the room amid the buzz of the awards night. He first introduces Melissa to Sean Penn, who warmly shakes her hand. Elordi then pivots to DiCaprio, saying, “Leo, this is my mum, Melissa.” DiCaprio responds graciously, extending his hand and gesturing toward his own mother, Irmelin, who stands nearby. He introduces her in return, attempting to connect them both.
However, Melissa’s focus appears to drift almost immediately toward Benicio del Toro and Steven Spielberg, leaving DiCaprio’s introduction hanging. Elordi noticed the awkward moment and tried to shift his mother’s attention by tapping her on the shoulder and saying, “Your mum is here too.” The video ends, leaving viewers to wonder whether the introduction ever fully landed.
The comments section erupted almost instantly. Some viewers expressed sympathy for DiCaprio, calling the moment “painfully awkward,” while others rushed to defend Melissa, insisting the snub looked accidental.
At the National Board of Review Gala in New York, Leonardo DiCaprio made a point to spotlight his mother. After winning an award for his role in One Battle After Another, the actor said that he had waited 25 years to make a project like this.
DiCaprio then turned his attention to his mother, praising her during the speech, “She believed in me long before there was absolutely any reason to. Driving me to auditions every single day after school. Supporting the dream that started in the theatres … This moment only exists because of you.”
