Daniel Kaluuya and Tyriq Withers Go Viral With Hilarious Airport Interview During FAA Ground Stop
Actors Daniel Kaluuya and Tyriq Withers turned a travel nightmare into the weekend’s favorite viral clip after the FAA’s nationwide ground stop stranded them at Eugene Airport in Oregon on Friday, November 13. The pair had boarded a flight to Los Angeles when they were told to deplane, and an impromptu interview with local station KVAL News sent the clip racing across social media within hours.
A Stranded Pair Steals the Show
Kaluuya, 37, the Oscar-winning star of Get Out, and Withers, 28, star of the horror film Him, were among thousands of passengers caught up in Friday’s shutdown. KVAL News reporter Gold Meadows spotted the two near security at Eugene Airport and grabbed them for a live interview.
Withers wasted no time turning the frustration into comedy. “I just want to thank God and the FAA for protecting us, post-blue wave as well,” he said, nodding to the Democrats’ sweep in the midterm elections earlier this month. Then came the line that made the clip: “But I really feel like it’s really upsetting me and my homegirl, because if you can’t go to the airport where the hell can you go?”
Kaluuya played the straight man, telling the reporter he was “grateful” for the grounding, because while it was inconvenient, he believed many lives were likely saved by the decision to halt flights.
The “Bella Noche” Callback
For viewers who recognized it instantly, Withers was reviving the “Bella Noche” meme from a viral 2016 news interview. In the original clip, a local resident speaking to a reporter after a shooting at a Baton Rouge nightclub said, “It’s upsetting me and my homegirl… ’cause we feel like, well d—, if you can’t go to Bella Noche, where the hell could you go?!”
The reference landed perfectly, and the clip spread across social platforms within hours, with fans praising Withers’ timing.
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Why This Matters
The clip struck a chord because it captured something rare: two famous actors experiencing exactly the same miserable travel day as everyone else. The FAA halted departures at every airport in the United States after communications problems hit multiple air route traffic control centers, and the stop lasted about four and a half hours before it was lifted at about 8:15 p.m. EST.
Latest Developments
As of Saturday morning, the clip was still spreading, joining a run of viral celebrity moments this week that included Shane Gillis breaking his silence on his Saturday Night Live monologue. There is no confirmation that Kaluuya and Withers are working on a project together, but Withers has previously named Kaluuya as an actor he would like to work with, according to the Eugene Register-Guard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the viral interview take place?
At Eugene Airport in Oregon. The pair had boarded a Los Angeles flight on Friday, November 13, and were forced to deplane when the FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop. KVAL News reporter Gold Meadows interviewed them near security.
What is the “Bella Noche” meme?
It comes from a viral 2016 news interview after a shooting at a Baton Rouge nightclub called Bella Noche, in which a local resident said, “If you can’t go to Bella Noche, where the hell could you go?!” Withers adapted the line to the airport.
Why were flights grounded on Friday?
The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop after communications issues affected multiple air route traffic control centers. It lasted about four and a half hours and was lifted at about 8:15 p.m. EST on Friday night.
Their detour gave the internet one of its best moments of the weekend — a reminder that even movie stars wait out a ground stop like everyone else.
Sources: Just Jared; HelloBeautiful; That Grape Juice; Feminegra; Pune Media; KVAL News (via Just Jared).
