Wicked is a phenomenon. The film, based on a Broadway musical about the witches of The Wizard of Oz, has made millions. Cynthia Erivo has become a star off the back of the movie, and Ariana Grande has gotten rave reviews for playing Glinda. It’s been a true Wicked winter.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. A rumor has been persisting that Erivo and Grande weren’t paid equally for their performances in the film. Sometimes, it’s claimed that Grande was paid 10 times more because she was the more famous of the two and had more name recognition. But as with many rumors that spread about women in the entertainment industry, it wasn’t true.
Erivo and Grande did an interview with Variety on January 2 and specifically addressed the rumor. “We went through our contracts together,” Grande explained, “and called each other up. ‘Did you see that? What do you think about that? Let’s get it together!’”
Erivo continued the conversation, “We both went through it — ‘What number are we doing? How do you feel about that?’ We were really f***ing honest. And that’s really rare. People don’t do that.” But Erivo and Grande, who became great friends making the movie, did do that.
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“We’re very different, but when we’re doing something like this together, her needs become my needs,” Grande told the magazine. Then Erivo spoke up, “And her needs become mine.”
Seeing the two women forge a relationship has been one of the highlights of the Wicked press tour. There were some hiccups along the way – take the time Erivo blew up at a fan for Photoshopping her eyes out of a Wicked poster – but Grande and Erivo have constantly stood by each other.
“We cultivated a friendship, outside of all of this, that allows us to have these real, deep connective conversations that join us as friends and sisters. We sit on FaceTime for hours,” Erivo told Elle UK in December. The two of them even held hands frequently on the press tour, and it was adorable.
So, obviously, they weren’t about to let the false rumor stand. In fact, Universal even released a statement about the matter back in November, with a spokesperson saying, “Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”
People simply can’t get enough of the Erivo-Grande friendship, and it’s not over yet. After a press tour full of sweet moments and stunning green and pink outfits, we get to do it all again next year. The second part of the Wicked story, titled Wicked: For Good, will drop in theaters on November 21, 2025. It promises to be an emotional rollercoaster that will demonstrate the heights of Erivo and Grande’s acting powers. It’s already filmed, and you can watch it safely with the assurance that the lead actresses were paid equally.
Published: Jan 2, 2025 01:05 pm