Cynthia Erivo is speaking out against the online scrutiny of her friendship with Ariana Grande.
The ‘Wicked’ star, 37, addressed the backlash in a recent interview, pushing back against fans who have questioned the authenticity of her bond with Grande, 31. Erivo recalled how observers seemed determined to find fault in their closeness, noting the strange hostility toward two women simply being friends.
“It was interesting that there were many people who had become psychologists from their couches,” she said. “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.”
Erivo described the reaction as a “double-edged sword,” pointing out the impossible position critics placed them in.
“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 continued. “Because if we were dead behind the eyes and showing no emotion, there would have been something else to say about it.”
The two performers developed their connection while filming the two-part ‘Wicked’ adaptation, with Erivo playing Elphaba and Grande portraying Glinda. Their offscreen chemistry became a major talking point during the promotional tour for both films, drawing intense fan interest and, Erivo suggested, unwelcome analysis of their every interaction.
The actor also reflected on a dramatic moment from last October, when she physically shielded Grande from a fan who rushed onto the golden carpet at a Singapore event. Erivo stepped between the intruder and her co-star without hesitation, an act that itself became fodder for online commentary.
“No one else was moving. We were on a carpet,” she recalled. “We were exposed. My immediate response was: ‘Get this man away from us now.'”
She added that some observers mischaracterized her protective instinct, saying: “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. But I must be a bodyguard.'”
Erivo explained that her reaction was purely instinctive, driven by concern for Grande’s safety rather than any calculated response.
“I wasn’t really thinking, I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe, you know?” she said. “I’m sure he didn’t mean us harm; you just never know with those things, and I wanted to make sure that she was okay. That was my first instinct.”
The actor had previously spoken about the depth of their relationship in a 2025 interview, where she emphasized how the experience of making the films together had forged something lasting.
“This is a long-lasting friendship for us; we’re kind of like sisters at this moment in time, you know?” she shared. “And I think we’ve both learnt from each other and given each other some really, really beautiful gifts.”
She added: “We’ve really looked after each other through this.”
The Singapore incident occurred during the promotional tour for ‘Wicked: For Good,’ the second installment of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway musical. A fan broke through security barriers on the gold carpet and headed directly toward Grande before Erivo intervened, placing herself between the intruder and her co-star. Video of the moment circulated widely online, with many praising Erivo’s quick reflexes while others, she noted, treated her protective gesture with skepticism or condescension.