Kenan Thompson, the host of the 2022 Emmys Awards, shocked the audience with a joke about Leonardo DiCaprio and Zendaya during the ceremony on Monday night (12 September).
The biggest night in television is taking place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles this year, with Succession leading the nominations with 25 nods, followed by The White Lotus and Ted Lasso each earning 20.
The host of this year’s awards, comedian and actor Thompson, was talking about the celebrities in the crowd when he zoned in on Euphoria star Zendaya, 26.
“26 is a weird age in Hollywood,” he said. “You’re old enough to play a highschooler but too old to date Leonardo DiCaprio.”
The gag was met with gasps from the audience, while Zendaya buried her head in her hands to hide her reaction. DiCaprio was not in attendance at the ceremony.
DiCaprio’s dating history has recently received much attention, after many fans noticed that he tends to date women no older than 25, despite being in his late forties himself.
DiCaprio, 47, recently split from his former girlfriend Camila Morrone, 25, and is rumoured to have a new girlfriend, 22-year-old Ukrainian model Maria Beregova.
This is not the first time DiCaprio has been roasted for his relationships at an awards show.
Earlier this year, Rebel Wilson cracked a joke about DiCaprio’s relationships while hosting the 2022 Baftas ceremony.
In 2020, Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais made a dig at the star while talking about Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Follow along with The Independent’s live updates on the 2022 Emmys here.
