Cynthia Erivo has addressed online speculation about her bond with Ariana Grande, making it clear that their friendship off screen is genuine despite what some viewers assumed during the Wicked press run.
The actor first appeared as Elphaba in Wicked, which was released in 2024 and kicked off a huge promotional campaign alongside Grande, who plays Glinda. The pair’s chemistry became one of the defining talking points of the film’s rollout, especially as they continued promoting the story through the release of Wicked: For Good in 2025.
As the two spent months appearing together in interviews, premieres and public events, plenty of fans praised their closeness. Others, however, questioned whether the connection audiences were seeing was authentic or simply part of the publicity machine.
Now, after persistent discussion from fans online, Erivo has directly responded to those doubts in a recent Variety interview published in May.
She said:
“I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends.
“But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend. If I’m not, then I’m not.”
Erivo also shared that she and Grande are still in touch, saying they text almost daily.
She went on to reflect on how public opinion can differ sharply from reality.
“It’s very interesting, watching what people’s perception is versus what the reality actually is,” the star continued.
“Lots of psychologists seated at home deciding who we were, what we were going through, what we were doing and why.”
Looking back on the whirlwind surrounding Wicked, Erivo described it as “it’s own storm in a teacup”, while also saying the experience was beautiful and something that changed her life.
Since finishing the film campaign, Erivo has moved on to one of her most ambitious stage projects yet, starring in a one-woman West End production of Dracula at London’s Noël Coward Theatre, where she plays the title character as well as 22 additional roles.
Grande has also spoken warmly about their working relationship. In comments to Vogue Japan, she praised the partnership they built while making the film and said they took care of each other throughout the process.
“We took good care of each other and worked very hard, and it was the most gratifying work of my life,” she said.
Grande also said she would happily repeat the experience if given the chance.
She added:
“We have very different processes, and we’re very different as people. Yet we took the time to learn each other, take care of each other through this process… I think it was really meant to be.”
Grande is also back onstage with her Eternal Sunshine tour, which began in June 2026 and marks her first concert tour in seven years.
Last year, the 33-year-old also revealed that she had personally asked Erivo to appear with her onstage at selected dates during the sold-out shows.