Ted Cruz Fanboys Over Hollywood Star Who Gave Him a Hug

WISHFUL THINKING

The Texas senator also admitted that he has a weak spot for a good rom-com.

Ted Cruz got more than he bargained for when he watched a World Cup match. The Texas Republican, 55, revealed that he had a chance encounter with Drew Barrymore, 51, when he watched the Spain versus Argentina match in New Jersey last weekend.

Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks next to U.S. Donald Trump at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., December 22, 2024.
Ted Cruz is one of the most staunch supporters of Donald Trump in Congress. Cheney Orr/Reuters

“I’d never met her and look, she’s a terrific actress but to be honest, Republican politicians are not necessarily all that popular among Hollywood actors,” Cruz said on his podcast. “She was the nicest person and she was charming ... We had a great conversation.”

The senator said the 50 First Dates star was “real and fun”—and even gave him a hug.

Drew Barrymore at SNL50: The Anniversary Special at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on February 16, 2025 in New York, New York.
Drew Barrymore at SNL50: The Anniversary Special in 2025. John Nacion/John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images

“Every person she met, she’d go and hug them, so like she hugged me and I’m like, ‘Holy crap, Drew Barrymore is hugging me…’ and it wasn’t fake, it was just kind of a real...” he recalled. “She’s an expressive, nice person and… we probably spent 20 minutes talking together, and it was really cool.”

Cruz went on to admit that he has a soft spot for romantic comedies. “50 First Dates, it was a neat premise,” he said.

Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly has also gushed over Drew Barrymore. Caitlin O'Hara/REUTERS

Earlier this year, Cruz’s fellow MAGA star, Megyn Kelly, also revealed a positive experience with Barrymore when they ran into each other on vacation.

“She could not have been nicer. She was actually very cool. And we actually kind of talked about politics a little,” Kelly said at the time. “I’m not going to repeat what she said because it was private, but she was quite reasonable. And I’ve developed a fondness for her. I’m not going to lie.”

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