Isabela Merced Pokes Fun at Jimmy Fallon’s Failed Date with Nicole Kidman
In a recent interview on The Tonight Show, actress Isabela Merced brought back into the spotlight Jimmy Fallon’s infamous failed date with Nicole Kidman. The Last of Us star expertly snuck in a quick jab at Fallon and Kidman’s awkward first date, which saw the duo play video games at Fallon’s apartment.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Fallon had previously discussed The Last of Us video game creators on his Late Night show in 2012, praising the game as "one of the scariest video games I’ve ever played in my life." Merced, quick on her feet, replied, "Was that the game you were playing when you bombed your date with Nicole Kidman?" (Entertainment Weekly, "Isabela Merced Roasts Jimmy Fallon Over Failed Nicole Kidman Date").
Fallon appeared visibly stunned after the surprise offensive, remaining silent for a beat as the audience let out a loud groan. Instead of answering her, a sheepish Fallon decided that the best thing to do was to cut their interview after roughly three minutes. "It’s a pleasure meeting you. We’re out of time," he said as Merced laughed (Entertainment Weekly).
However, Merced wasn’t letting him out of the conversation that easily. "So was it?" She asked again. A sheepish Fallon threw himself into the back of his chair before eventually giving Merced the information she desired. "No, we were playing Mario Kart," he admitted. "But thanks for bringing it up" (Entertainment Weekly, "Isabela Merced Roasts Jimmy Fallon Over Failed Nicole Kidman Date").
Merced noted that the moment is her absolute "favorite clip" in The Tonight Show history. Fallon groaned, "It’s the most embarrassing." His cringe factor only increased when Merced reminded him that "63 million people" have watched the Tonight Show clip of Fallon finding out in real time that he blew a date with Nicole Kidman (Entertainment Weekly).
The story of Fallon and Kidman’s failed date was first told by Kidman herself in 2015, when she appeared on The Tonight Show. She explained that, years earlier, her and Fallon’s mutual friend Rick had tried to set them up together after learning that she had a crush on him. However, when she arrived at Fallon’s apartment, they just played video games next to some brie cheese. "You didn’t talk at all, and so after about an hour and a half, I thought, ‘He has no interest. This is so embarrassing,’" Kidman recalled. "And so I left and said, ‘Okay, no chemistry.’ And then I was like, ‘Maybe he’s gay!’" (Entertainment Weekly, citing Kidman’s 2015 interview on The Tonight Show).
At the time, Fallon maintained that he had "no clue" that Kidman was interested in him — or that their date was even a date at all. "I’m in shock," he exclaimed. Fallon and Kidman have both married since their fateful Mario Kart moment. The Tonight Show host married Flower Films producer Nancy Juvonen in 2007, while Kidman tied the knot with Grammy-winning musician Keith Urban in 2006 (Entertainment Weekly).
The clip of Merced’s interview with Fallon can be seen on The Tonight Show website. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Merced’s quick wit and sharp tongue have made her a standout in the entertainment industry, and her roast of Fallon’s failed date with Kidman is sure to be remembered for a long time (Entertainment Weekly, "Isabela Merced Roasts Jimmy Fallon Over Failed Nicole Kidman Date").
Source: Entertainment Weekly – https://ew.com/last-of-us-star-isabela-merced-roasts-jimmy-fallon-over-failed-nicole-kidman-date-11739537
