Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning recreate viral ‘Holding Space’ meme
Even Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning know about “Holding Space.”
The “A Complete Unknown” co-stars did an interview with “Out” reporter Tracy E. Gilchrist and hilariously recreated the meme that went viral during Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s “Wicked” press tour last month.
“First off, I just want to let you know that I am holding space for you,” Gilchrist told the pair.
“Thank you. I’m starstruck seeing you,” Fanning, 26, said to the journalist.
“I am starstruck,” Chalamet, 29, agreed.
“Well likewise,” Gilchrist responded.
Chalamet then held his finger out to Fanning who squeezed it back — recreating Grande and Erivo’s viral moment during their now-iconic interview with Gilchrist.
After Gilchrist laughed, Chalamet told the reporter, “It’s an honor talking to you,” and reiterated that he was “sort of starstruck.”
“I know you!” Fanning added. “You walked in, and I was like, Tracy!”
“Like, holy sh*t. This [interview] better be good,” Chalamet joked.
Fanning added, “There’s nothing that we can do that can trump what happened. We can try.”
But Gilchrist told the actors that she was “loving the energy” they had during the sit-down chat.
Gilchrist became an internet meme in November when she told the lead “Wicked” stars that she had seen posts online that people were “holding space” with one of the blockbuster’s big musical numbers.
Erivo, 37, had a strong emotional reaction to the strange remark, as Grande supported her co-star by clutching Erivo’s index finger.
“I’ve seen it in a couple posts,” Gilchrist also said. “I don’t know how widespread, but you know, I am in queer media, so, that’s my, you know, but yeah, it’s happening.”
The unusual exchange went viral online as fans expressed their confusion over what Gilchrist was talking about, as well as why it elicited such a strong reaction from Erivo.
In a Nov. 25 interview with Variety, Gilchrist admitted she was “a little thrown off” when Erivo had such a visceral reaction to the “holding space” comment.
“I was a little flustered. I could have said, ‘I have all these friends, and this is our conversation.’ But instead I said, ‘I’m in queer media,’” Gilchrist said.
Gilchrist also opened up about the “wild” response to the interview and said she was trying to avoid seeing the comments from the “cynics and haters.”
Erivo and Grande have also admitted they were confused during their viral exchange with Gilchrist.
“So I didn’t know what any part of it meant,” Grande told Variety earlier this month.
“I didn’t understand the first sentence. And then I definitely didn’t understand what was happening — how you [Erivo] responded. I was like, ‘Oh, what did she say? What did you hear?’ And I just wanted to be there ’cause I knew something big was happening, and I didn’t know how to be there,” the “7 Rings” singer added.
Erivo said about Gilchrist’s “queer media” comment, “I honestly didn’t know what that meant. And, am I also in queer media maybe? Work. Let’s both be there.”
Gilchrist worked the “Wicked” and “A Complete Unknown” press tours. “Wicked” has made over $600 million at the worldwide box office, with Part 2 slated to come out in November 2025.
“A Complete Unknown,” meanwhile was released in theaters on Christmas Day. The film stars Chalamet as legendary singer Bob Dylan, while Fanning plays Dylan’s girlfriend.
