Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have been dominating headlines for the past month due to their joint public appearances promoting the upcoming film, Wicked: For Good.
Another notable moment involving the duo occurred on Monday, November 17, during the film's final premiere before its release in New York City.
Both the 32-year-old pop star and the 38-year-old British actress skipped almost every interview on the red carpet “in solidarity” with each other.
Highlights
- Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo skipped nearly all interviews at the final premiere, fueling fresh speculation after Erivo’s sudden “health scare.”
- Their decision sparked mixed reactions, with critics accusing the duo of displaying “poor” work ethics during a crucial press moment.
- The move added another layer to a promo tour already marked by unexpected hurdles and headline-making drama.
“My co worker called in sick today so out of respect I too will not be working today….” mocked one user online.
Cynthia Erivo's "health scare" led to her and Ariana Grande both opting out of interviews at the NYC premiere
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The Boy is Mine singer appeared on the red carpet with Cynthia Erivo, alongside the upcoming film's director, Jon M. Chu, and costars Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, and others.
As is routine for press tours, the stars usually participate in several interviews to promote their film.
However, while everyone else participated fully, Grande and Erivo skipped most interviews due to the latter “not feeling well” and having a health scare.
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Just hours before the premiere, Universal representatives informed members of the media present at the Lincoln Center venue about the duo’s change in interview plans.
“Unfortunately, Cynthia is not feeling well and has lost her voice, therefore she and Ariana will not be doing interviews this evening.”
The Harriet star had “lost her voice” at the time of the final premiere for Wicked: For Good on Monday night
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Despite skipping interviews, they did, however, pose gracefully together on the red carpet one last time before the film’s release on Friday, November 21.
Cynthia was dressed in an all-black, dramatic floor-length gown, while Ariana paid a nod to her character, Glinda, sporting a black-and-pale pink tulle gown.
The two actresses held hands while posing for photographs.
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While speaking to the event’s host, Justin Sylvester, on the official livestream, Grande explained the reason for not doing any interviews.
Referencing her co-star, she shared, “I'm not letting her speak. She has to rest her voice!”
The duo affectionately held hands on the red carpet, and Ariana stepped in as Erivo’s spokesperson during a livestream comment
Speaking on behalf of both stars, Grande further continued, expressing her excitement and gratitude to be closing the press tour “where it started.”
“It's so full circle to be in New York City where the Gershwin [Theatre] is, where Wicked is and to be celebrating tonight together.”
The Outsiders star agreed with the sentiment, saying in an audible hoarse voice, “It's really beautiful that we're finishing here, where it started."
Speaking about how Erivo is recovering from her loss of voice, Ariana added, “She's throat-coating, we're nourishing the throat. Thank you for understanding. There's only so much the human body can endure."
The reaction online was anything but supportive of the former Nickelodeon star’s decision to skip solo interviews in solidarity.
The promotional tour for the musical fantasy sequel has faced multiple hiccups, including physical attacks on the 32-year-old singer
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One user wrote, “I’ve heard of being supportive but this just sounds odd. Ariana is an individual, she can do things on her own in support of her own career. Sounds like some kind of codependency IMO, sad.”
Another remarked, “These two are looking more and more like the years most toxic couple.”
“They’re aliens… like real aliens.. When one gets hurt, the other feels pain!"
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The promotion for the latest addition to the Wicked world has unfortunately been marked by several unexpected setbacks.
Earlier, on November 4, during the first premiere in São Paulo, Brazil, the Victorious actress was unable to attend due to a mechanical issue with the plane.
The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is an adaptation of Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz’s Broadway musical and is set to hit theaters on November 21
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Last week, Ariana was grabbed by a man during the film’s Singapore premiere, which left her visibly stunned and shaken.
The man, identified as Johnson Wen, is a popular social media prankster and was arrested and sentenced to nine days in prison for pulling the stunt on the pop sensation.
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Later, during an interview panel with producer Marc Platt, a now-viral clip showed the 68-year-old man roughly grabbing Grande’s arm and shaking it harshly for several seconds.
Erivo had to intervene and even attempted to plant a kiss on Ariana’s hand in what many viewers called a “bizarre” gesture.
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Apart from these incidents, the Supernatural singer has been under constant scrutiny, with fans feeling “scared” for her due to her seemingly “frail” appearances at public events, sparking concerns about her mental and physical well-being.
“The word solidarity has become one of those overused words, and it is now being dumbed down,” wrote one critic
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