At a Glance
- Nikki Glaser roasted Leonardo DiCaprio for dating younger women during her 2026 Golden Globes monologue
- The comedian joked that DiCaprio’s greatest achievement happened “before your girlfriend turned 30”
- This marks Glaser’s second consecutive year hosting the awards ceremony
- Why it matters: The moment became an instant viral highlight, showcasing how Hollywood’s biggest stars handle public ribbing about their personal lives
Nikki Glaser didn’t hold back when she took the stage to host the 2026 Golden Globe Awards on January 11, delivering a pointed monologue that zeroed in on Leonardo DiCaprio’s well-documented dating preferences. The 41-year-old comedian, making her return engagement as host, used her opening minutes to skewer the 51-year-old actor’s pattern of relationships with significantly younger women.
The Joke That Stopped the Room
Standing before Hollywood’s elite at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Glaser launched into her DiCaprio material with surgical precision. She began by acknowledging his professional accomplishments, noting his “countless iconic performances” and collaborations with “every great director.” She referenced his three Golden Globe wins and Oscar victory before landing the punchline.
“The most impressive thing is you were able to accomplish all of that before your girlfriend turned 30,” Glaser delivered as DiCaprio smiled uncomfortably and looked down at his table.
The camera captured DiCaprio’s reaction as he appeared to take the joke in stride, though his body language suggested he knew what was coming. The actor has been most recently linked to 27-year-old model Vittoria Ceretti, continuing his pattern of relationships with women in their twenties.
The Setup and Apology
Glaser didn’t stop with just one jab at the actor. After the initial joke landed, she continued pressing the issue with mock contrition.
“Leo, I’m sorry I made that joke, it’s cheap. I tried not to but, you know, we don’t know anything else about you, man. There’s nothing else, open up,” she said, highlighting how DiCaprio’s intensely private personal life leaves comedians with limited material beyond his dating history.
To emphasize her point about his secrecy, Glaser claimed she had researched extensively for more substantive interview material. “The most in-depth interview you’ve ever given was in Teen Beat magazine in 1991,” she quipped, before asking, “Is your favorite food still pasta, pasta and more pasta?”
DiCaprio responded by laughing, pointing at Glaser, and giving her a playful thumbs up, seemingly acknowledging the good-natured ribbing.
Behind the Scenes Preparation
The jokes didn’t come as a surprise to anyone who had been following Glaser’s promotional interviews leading up to the ceremony. Earlier in January, she spoke with News Of Losangeles about her preparation process for hosting Hollywood’s booziest awards show for the second consecutive year.
“There’s lots to joke about this year – and the star power in the room is going to be bigger than ever. I mean, it’s bigger than last year,” she said, acknowledging the challenge of crafting fresh material for the same audience.
She specifically previewed her approach to DiCapro material, joking that “Leo’s vape pen is going to be there. So excited to see that,” referencing the actor’s well-documented vaping habit.
Avoiding the Obvious
Glaser had publicly wrestled with how to approach DiCaprio material, knowing that jokes about his dating preferences had become comedy cliché. She told News Of Losangeles that she wanted to avoid “the Leo jokes we’ve heard 25 times,” but acknowledged the difficulty of finding new angles on such a famously private celebrity.
“My goal is always to try to not do what’s expected or try to challenge myself to not say the thing that people are going to expect and try something else,” she explained. “That’s going to be the challenge this year, is just finding anything else about him that is right for mockery, but not mockery.”
The comedian noted that DiCaprio’s latest film, “One Battle After Another,” which led the nominations that evening, provided some cover for her material since she genuinely respects his work.
The Art of the Roast
Glaser articulated her philosophy about celebrity roasting, explaining why she can be harder on stars she genuinely admires. “Also, he’s a legend and was incredible in One Battle [After Another],” she said. “So that’s also the other thing – as long as I really like these people and respect what they do, I can get away with saying something negative.”
She believes audiences can detect insincerity, saying people can usually “tell” when she’s “lying and being like, ‘I’m such a fan!’ And then I say something a little bit critical.”
“But when I’m really a fan, which I am of so many of these people, that’s when I can go a bit harder, because it really does come from a place of love and knowing that I’m nothing compared to you,” she continued.
Return Engagement Success
This year’s ceremony marked Glaser’s second consecutive year hosting the Golden Globes, following her successful 2025 debut. After that first experience, she called it “without a doubt the most fun I have ever had in my career.”
The comedian seemed energized by the challenge of topping her previous performance while navigating an increasingly crowded media landscape. “There’s going to be some big, big hitters in the room, and there’s podcasts this year, which is also going to be a hilarious thing to joke about,” she previewed.
Hollywood’s Response
The DiCaprio moment quickly became one of the most talked-about segments of the evening, with social media users clipping and sharing the exchange within minutes of its airing. The joke landed particularly well because it addressed what many see as the elephant in the room about one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars.
DiCaprio’s good-natured response – the smile, the point, the thumbs up – suggested he’s developed a thick skin about this particular line of comedy. The actor has faced similar jokes for years about his dating patterns, making Glaser’s material both expected and still effective.
The ceremony aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, reaching audiences beyond the ballroom as Glaser’s monologue set the tone for an evening that balanced celebration with the irreverent humor that has become the Globes’ trademark.
