A body language expert has shared "what Ellen DeGeneres was thinking" when Dakota Johnson called her out in an interview.
The iconic exchange kicked off innocently enough - or so it seemed - with the TV host asking the Fifty Shades of Grey star about her 30th birthday party.
“How was the party?” the now-67-year-old asked, before dropping the line that launched a thousand memes: “I wasn’t invited.” Check out the drama unfold below:
Johnson didn’t skip a beat, responding: “Actually, that’s not the truth, Ellen. You were invited. Last time I was on the show, last year, you gave me a bunch of s*** about not inviting you.”
From there, things spiraled fast. “Ask everybody,” the actress said. “Ask Jonathon, your producer. But I did invite you, and you didn't come."
In a scramble to save face, DeGeneres fumbled for an excuse. “I was invited? Why didn't I go? Oh yeah, I had that thing! It was probably in Malibu, that's too far for me to go to. I think I do remember I was invited – thank you!"
But the damage was done, and according to Cosmopolitan, who enlisted body language expert Blanca Cobb to dissect the moment, Ellen’s discomfort was as visible as it was cringeworthy.
“So the right leg is crossed over her left leg, and that leg, the way she has it, serves like a barrier between her and Dakota,” Cobb explained. “So it’s like a psychological barrier as well as a physical barrier.”
As the conversation dragged on, Cobb noted another revealing behavior, which was that Ellen was “rubbing her fingers either on the armrest or on the leg,” which means she’s “self-soothing".
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The Madame Web star admitted she hadn’t invited Ellen to the previous year’s party because she wasn’t sure how the host felt about her.
“Of course, I like you. You knew I liked you!” DeGeneres protested. “You’ve been on the show many times and don’t I show... like?”
Cobb wasn’t buying it. “If you have something positive to say to somebody, you’re going to reflect it on your face,” she said. “Likewise, when you’re pissed at somebody, you’re going to reflect that on your face. I’m not exactly sure if Ellen was pissed. I think she was a bit surprised.”
Then came the mic drop moment. Johnson revealed that comedian Tig Notaro not only showed up to the party, but she also performed. “She’s my favorite comedian,” she added.
Cobb says that’s when DeGeneres mentally left the chat. “She turned her head, she looked away from Dakota, and then she looked down with her eyes a little bit. She was definitely disconnecting and disengaging, and obviously, when you’re turning away from somebody, you don’t like what they’re saying.”
So, yeah - if the birthday party snub stung, being upstaged by Johnson’s “favorite comedian” might’ve been the real kicker.