Cynthia Erivo Addresses Fascination with Ariana Grande Friendship, Recounts Red Carpet Scare

Cynthia Erivo has spoken out about the public's "weird" fascination with her close friendship with "Wicked" co-star Ariana Grande. Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the upcoming film adaptation of the musical, addressed speculation that their bond was romantic, a notion she finds baffling.

"It was interesting that there were many people who had become psychologists from their couches," Erivo told The Guardian, referencing the public's reaction to her friendship with Grande. "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. Like, why are they friends? Why are they connected? There must be something wrong with them."

Erivo suggested that a lack of public discourse around deep, platonic female friendships contributes to this misunderstanding. "I think it's because there's such little conversation around platonic female friendship that is deep and real, even though it exists everywhere. We're not used to seeing it on camera, in front of people," she explained. She added that relationships where people are deeply connected can sometimes make others uncomfortable because "we aren't taught that those relationships are good for us."

During the same interview, Erivo also recounted a "terrifying" moment on the red carpet when Grande was ambushed by an online prankster known as Pyjama Man. The intruder, Johnson Wen, bypassed security and latched onto Grande, wrapping an arm around her. Erivo reacted immediately, stepping between Wen and Grande and shouting at him as security intervened.

"No one else was moving. We were on a carpet. We were exposed. My immediate response was: 'Get this man away from us now,'" Erivo said. Grande was visibly shaken by the incident. Wen was later arrested and charged with public nuisance, receiving a nine-day jail sentence and a ban from re-entering Singapore.

Grande herself has previously acknowledged her tendency to hold hands with people she is with during public events, a gesture that has gone viral, including during the "Wicked" press tour in late 2024 when she was seen holding Erivo's finger. "I do, I do. I channel a lot of energy through my hands. And so I'm always holding a hand," Grande explained on the podcast "Good Hang with Amy Poehler." She added that her gesture towards Erivo during the press tour was a way to offer support during a chaotic moment: "I just wanted to be supportive. I was like, oh my God. And it felt sweet. It felt beautiful. And it was beautiful."

Erivo previously told Stylist magazine that she had to address the "strange fascination" with her relationship with Grande. "At first, I think people didn't understand how it was possible for two women to be friends - close - and not lovers," she said. "I've never really spoken about this, but there was this strange fascination with the two of us, where people either thought we were putting it on for the cameras or that we were lovers."