Cynthia Erivo addresses public’s ‘annoyance’ over her friendship with Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo addressed the online scrutiny she and Wicked co-star Ariana Grande experienced as they promoted the two-part musical film adaptation, saying she found some of the reactions to their friendship difficult to understand. 

In an interview with The Guardian published on October 27, Cynthia recalled how viewers closely examined their interactions during the press tours for Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good.  

“It was interesting that there were many people who had become psychologists from their couches,” Cynthia said, pointing how some reactions went beyond curiosity and questioned why two women were comfortable showing affection toward each other. 

“There was this weird sort of, what’s the word I’m looking for … annoyance … at the fact that two women could actually be friends.” 

Cynthia and Ariana played Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in Jon M. Chu’s adaptations of the hit Broadway musical. Their characters meet as students at the Shiz University, where an unlikely friendship develops and eventually changes the course of their lives. 

As the actresses brought that story to audiences, their own connection also became a frequent topic of conversation. Their emotional interviews, affectionate gestures, and visible support for each other went viral, with some viewers questioning the sincerity of their bond. 

Cynthia said she found it puzzling that even their most natural reactions became subjects of public debate. 

“Like, ‘Why are they friends? Why are they connected? There must be something wrong with them. Why are they showing emotion? How dare they cry? And how dare they laugh? And how dare they be emotive and alive?’” she said. 

She also described the experience as a “double-edged sword,” pointing out that they could have been criticized just as easily had they appeared less expressive during their promotional appearances. 

“Because if we were dead behind the eyes and showing no emotion, there would have been something else to say about it,” Cynthia said, adding that she wished someone could have shown them the “proper balance” of emotion to express. 

The conversation also brought Cynthia back to an incident at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore on November 13, 2025, when she stepped in after a man breached the barricade and rushed toward Ariana. 

The man, known online as Pyjama Man, jumped over the barrier at Universal Studios Singapore and approached Ariana, briefly putting his arm around her as the singer tried to pull away. Cynthia moved between them to shield her co-star. 

She recalled how frightening the situation was, especially because the two actresses were exposed on the red carpet. 

“No one else was moving. We were on a carpet,” she said. “We were exposed. My immediate response was: ‘Get this man away from us now.’” 

Cynthia also took issue with people who described her actions as those of a bodyguard. For her, stepping in was simply an instinctive response to seeing a friend in danger. 

“I was like: ‘Oh, you think because I look like this that you could talk to me this way about something that was a human thing that I would have done for any friend, and hopefully a friend would have done for me,’” she said. “But I must be a bodyguard.” 

In a previous interview with PEOPLE, even Director Jon recognized the bond they formed while making the films, describing it as “one of the most beautiful friendships to watch grow.”  

Cynthia and Ariana have continued to show their closeness even after the films’ promotional activities. In November 2025, they revealed that they had gotten matching “For Good” tattoos on their palms, inspired by the song from the musical about the lasting impact people can have on one another.   

The first Wicked film premiered in 2024, with Wicked: For Good following in 2025. Both Cynthia and Ariana earned Academy Award nominations for their performances in the first film.