Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo's Most Cringeworthy Moments While Promoting Wicked The List
The "Wicked" press tour instantly became iconic -- or should that be infamous? -- thanks to leads Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's increasingly odd behavior.
By Feb. 11, 2025 11:00 am EST
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande developed a strong emotional bond while working on the big screen adaptation of "Wicked" together. Shortly after we learned that the actors would be taking on the lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda respectively in the movie of the beloved Broadway musical, Erivo shared an Instagram carousel revealing that her co-star had already sent her a bouquet with a sweet note expressing her excitement about her casting and how she looked forward to the day they would finally meet IRL. And, in Grande's 2024 Variety interview, she confirmed that their first day set on was incredibly moving. As the former "Victorious" star visibly teared up and took it all in, Erivo stayed right by her side, holding Grande's hand and comforting her.Â
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The "positions" hitmaker also couldn't help but gush about the Tony winner, saying, "She is really truly my sister. We really found in each other things we needed." Meanwhile, in Erivo's own 2024 chat with Elle, she explained how they went from co-stars to BFFs. "We had really beautiful conversations, some that were not easy, but that's what makes relationships," she recalled. "Those hard conversations that you can have with someone that mean that you have to be vulnerable are the things that make you close."Â
In fact, their friendship was so close that Grande and Erivo got matching tattoos to immortalize their time together. Although the Oscar-nominated blockbuster's press tour was filled with heartwarming moments that served as a testament to their tight-knit bond and onscreen chemistry, it also led to some truly cringe-worthy moments that remained ingrained in our minds long after the movie left cinemas.
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When they held space for 'Defying Gravity'When Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sat down for a chat with Out Magazine, interviewer Tracy Gilchrist confusingly gushed about the impact of "Wicked" by excitedly telling them, "People have been taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that and feeling power in that," (via X, formerly known as Twitter). Although the journalist's words arguably didn't make much sense, they were enough to warrant an emotional reaction from Erivo, who teared up and confessed, "I didn't know that was happening." Somehow, things managed to get even more bizarre from there as Grande reached out and awkwardly held onto the tip of her co-star's lengthy fake nail and tapped at it.Â
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The moment immediately went viral as netizens tried to figure out what in the world was going on, with "holding space" becoming a meme. During a joint interview with Variety in December 2024, Grande acknowledged that she was just as confused as everyone else and had absolutely no idea what Gilchrist was talking about. However, she knew that a special moment had passed between Erivo and the interviewer and wanted to support her co-star through it, so she held onto her finger to comfort her. Likewise, the "Harriet" star admitted that she was also confused and at a loss for words by the end of the clip.Â
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Thankfully, everyone involved got their answers in the wordy explanation that Gilchrist offered to Variety a month prior. She clarified that the idea of "holding space" actually came from GLAAD executive Tony Morrison, elaborating, "'Holding space' is being physically, emotionally and mentally present with someone or something."
The Wicked press tour was surprisingly emotionalAriana Grande and Cynthia Erivo evidently found it quite difficult to get through the "Wicked" press tour without tearing up. Although there's obviously nothing wrong with showing emotion and being vulnerable, social media users were still weirded out by just how many times the duo wept over standard interview questions or compliments. For instance, when the co-stars sat down for a chat with Jake Hamilton, of "Jake's Takes," he wondered how they had changed each other's lives for the better, and Grande immediately started crying. The "No Tears Left To Cry" singer got so choked up that she couldn't form words, and Erivo had to step in and answer for her, noting, "I think we found a little piece of ourselves in each other," as she comforted her friend.
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Meanwhile, Grande awkwardly comforted both Erivo and "Emsolation" podcast host Em Rusciano when they both broke down after the interviewer mentioned the movie's impact on millions like her (via X). Likewise, the former Nickelodeon star also couldn't help but cry when Idina Menzel, who played Elphaba in the original Broadway production of "Wicked," complimented her work in the film (via YouTube).
The co-stars addressed the emotional press tour when they appeared together on "Today."Â Erivo asserted that their emotions were running high "because it's been such a long journey." She continued, "And for both of us, it's just a huge dream come true." Meanwhile, the "Focus" songstress couldn't help but feel emotional when fans and interviewers opened up about how much their beloved movie meant to them.
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Their vulnerability often made people uncomfortableAlthough Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's sweet bond was the highlight of the "Wicked" press tour for fans of the movie, plenty of people thought their public displays of friendship were rather cringeworthy. While being so openly supportive of your friends is admirable, most X users still found a clip of Grande and Erivo wiping sweat off each other's faces while saying "I love you" to be a bit excessive. Meanwhile, when the duo chatted with Pink News, Erivo started getting choked up while discussing her many vulnerabilities, and as always, the "yes, and?" hitmaker supported her co-star by holding her hand and reassuring Erivo, "If you need to cry right now, you cry."Â
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Unfortunately, their vulnerability made commentators cringe, with some people even wondering if they were doing a bit of some sort. In fact, Redditors found their emotional exchanges pretty bizarre, with one user proclaiming that the press tour seemed like it was for a deeply moving movie like "Schindler's List" instead of a low-stakes Broadway musical. "The grief and intensity that people keep expressing on the press tour is wild to me," they wrote. Erivo warranted a similar reaction when she expressed her distaste for a viral AI poster for the film in an Instagram Story.Â
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The Tony winner dubbed the recreation: "The wildest, most offensive thing I have seen," (via X). She later added, "Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful." However, many social media commentators laughed at her defense, believing it to be a massive overreaction.
The duo had plenty of awkward moments with interviewersWhile walking the red carpet for a screening of "Wicked,"Â Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were asked by an interviewer about the most common misconceptions surrounding both of them. While the "we can't be friends" hitmaker thought of an answer, Erivo confusingly countered, "I don't know what the common misconception is at all, but that's not a fashion question is it?" (via Instagram). Needless to say, her curt reply didn't sit well with X commentators, who were left wondering why the British actor was so rude.Â
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However, most people were pleased when Erivo clapped back at Dax Shepard for asking an inarguably bizarre question during her "Armchair Expert" podcast appearance. After the host inquired about how she managed to wipe herself after doing her business because of her long nails, she reasoned that it wasn't a problem since she used toilet paper. Shepard probed further and asked if she ran into any other issues during the process. But Erivo once again answered in the negative and stressed that she had a pleasant experience because she used toilet paper.Â
Then, he wanted to know if she was displeased by the line of questioning, and the Oscar nominee candidly admitted, "I'm annoyed by it. I'm, like, 'Come on, guys.'" Erivo added, "But I get it, but it's also, like, 'I'm a functioning adult, and I've never walked around smelling like, you know."Â In contrast, a young interviewer who chatted with Ariana Grande and Erivo appreciated her nails (via X). However, the compliment went unnoticed by most viewers since they were distracted by the same interviewer casually handing her glasses to Grande as if she were an assistant.
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Cynthia Erivo's comments about others vying for her role weren't well-receivedWhile speaking to the New York Times, in 2024, alongside her co-star Cynthia Erivo made some shady comments about the other actors who auditioned for "Wicked." When asked about her reaction to finding out that she would be starring alongside Ariana Grande in the movie, the Tony winner confessed that she wasn't shocked in the slightest. Erivo then quipped, "Thank goodness, because it was not the two ladies that I was auditioning with." Although it's unclear whom she was referring to, several beloved celebrities like Amanda Seyfried and RenĂ©e Rapp auditioned for the role of Glinda. So, it's unsurprising that her comments did not sit well with certain people.Â
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Many Redditors found Erivo's apparent shade incredibly distasteful and unprofessional, considering the caliber of talent who had likely been in the running for the highly sought-after role. Likewise, one commentator also pointed out that the Emmy winner could have easily expressed her admiration for her co-star without dragging other women through the mud. Erivo once again threw shade at her fellow auditionees when she spoke to Rapp for Rolling Stone.Â
The "Widows" star stated that her identity as a queer Black woman sets her apart from other people who auditioned to play Elphaba on screen. "They don't know what it's like to walk through the world like this. I do," she argued. "And so that innately, immediately, makes me completely different." Although the beloved Broadway star made a valid point, Erivo still managed to catch the Internet's ire, even leading numerous X commentators to label her as a narcissist.
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