rewrite this title Matlock’s David Del Rio Defends Kathy Bates’ Viral Jennifer Hudson Show Spirit Tunnel Moment (Exclusive)

The actor also tells TooFab exclusively why he kisses Kathy’s hand every day on set, saying, “She deserves a lot more.”

While appearing on the PaleyFest LA red carpet for his television series Matlock, which he stars in alongside Kathy Bates, TooFab asked Del Rio about the spirit tunnel video the cast did ahead of the The Jennifer Hudson Show.

“I woke up with so many followers that day, and ‘I’m like, ‘Wow, did everyone see the last episode?’ I thought the last episode was good, but that good,” Del Rio told TooFab exclusively.

“Then I opened the phone … Okay it’s that tunnel thing!”

The video went viral — surpassing over 2.9 million views on TikTok at the time of writing.

While the majority of the cast quite literally dropped, popped and locked it. Bates decided to stroll through the spirit tunnel like the icon she is. Fans of course flocked to the comment section to share their reactions to Kathy’s lackluster walk to Huey’s “Pop, Lock & Drop It.”

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“It really does emulate how we are on set anyway,” Del Rio said of the viral moment.

“That kind of energy is on set every day. It’s one of those things that when I saw the video, I see Kathy in the back, and Kathy’s face is exactly her face when we’re acting up on set. So it really is just a normal thing. She knows we’re out there to party. And in Matlock, when we’re out and doing press, we want to let people know that it is a party because it is a party on set as well.”

As for working with Bates every day, Del Rio called it “a thrill of a lifetime.”

“It’s an honor of a lifetime as someone who always considers himself an acting student first. To be in the same room as Kathy and doing the same scenes with Kathy. She really does care about all of us doing the best work we can,” he added.

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Del Rio said Bates’ attitude on set makes the rest of the cast “just want to do better for her.”

The 37-year-old looks up to the Academy-award winning actor so much so that he insisted on kissing her hand every day on set.

“I do … I think it’s one of those things that she really does deserve the respect after doing this for so long, and I’ve been a fan of hers for so long. And there’s not a day that goes by where I do not kiss her hand. And she deserves it,” he told TooFab exclusively.

As for the 76-year-old’s reaction to Del Rio’s kind gesture.

“Now it’s got to a point that she’s used to it. Now she just comes up to me on set and goes… [he mimics Bates putting out her hand] Just comes up like that, and I’m like, ‘give me that hand or whatever.’ Now she’s just used to it,” he shared.

Del Rio added that he is honored to have such a “wonderful camaraderie” with Bates and considers her a “teacher.”

“She deserves a lot more than a kiss on the hand,” he said.

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Matlock Season 1 has seen massive success, so much so that the revival has already been confirmed for Season 2.

“Since shooting, I’ve just been on the side of the audience. And it feels like watching every episode, I’m watching it for the first time. It’s nice to be an audience member for your own work, an audience member for the whole thing,” Del Rio said on the success of the series.

“I’m blown away for the rest of the season, and we’ve seen the episodes!” he added. “All I can really say is that the audience are going to be very, very satisfied. [Showrunner] Jennie [Snyder Urman] and the writers have such a tall order from that pilot that just changed the way that the format of how remakes are done now.”

“It’s going to blow people’s minds. I can’t wait for people to watch!”

The Season 1 finale of Matlock will be airing on Thursday, April 17 at 9 p.m. ET.