Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande developed a close bond while working together on 'Wicked' and 'Wicked: For Good.' This prompted widespread online reactions, with many netizens labeling Erivo as Grande's 'bodyguard.' However, looking back at the chatter, Erivo cites that many reactions, including the incident at a promotional red carpet event with Grande, are deeply rooted in racism.
Cynthia Erivo addresses Ariana Grande's red carpet event incident
Erivo, in a conversation with Variety, finally addressed what happened with Ariana at the Singapore event for 'Wicked: For Good.' She cited that when the incident occurred, nobody was moving, which prompted her to react quickly. The only thing going through her mind was to get the man away. 'Nobody moved. Nobody moved. So I moved because my brain went, 'Get him away! Get him out of here!' … And what people couldn't see is that he wouldn't let go [of Grande]. He wouldn't let go. So I just kept pushing at him to get him off.' She further stated that everyone was really scared because of what happened, because 'A stranger is a stranger. Personal space is still personal space. It doesn't belong to anyone, even if you feel you know the person.'
Still, the reactions online that followed the incident irked Erivo, which she cited were actually deeply rooted in racism. She commented, 'I think that we haven't really come to terms with the insidious nature of how we view Black women. And I'm sure people will read this and think, 'Oh, for goodness sake, it's not about that.' But it is. Because that's what was being made fun of. It was my physique; it was my shape; it was the fact that I was bald; it was about what I looked like.' She also added that because of all these factors, assumptions and terms were used to cite that she was somehow 'bigger' than her co-star, and in turn, the 'controlling or protecting' one in the scene. Erivo added that 'I would hazard a guess that it would not have been the same had it been the other way around.'
Cynthia Erivo says that she didn't want to do events for 'Wicked: For Good' because of the incident
The actress also cited that the online reaction, and labeling her as her co-star's bodyguard, among other things, negatively impacted her approach to the film's promotional events. She cited that there came a time when she wanted to completely stop doing such promotional events for 'Wicked: For Good.' 'I just felt like my humanity had been bastardized,' she said during the interview, citing that 'It felt like something I did instinctively had been made to be something that it simply was not because of the way people see women who look like me, and because of the assumptions that are made, and I just didn't want to be a part of that, really and truly. I didn't want to put myself through it. I didn't feel like I deserved it.'
About the 'Wicked: For Good' red carpet incident
During the promotional tour for 'Wicked: For Good' in Singapore, the cast members were attending a red carpet event. However, as Grande and Erivo walked the red carpet, a fan jumped over the barrier and grabbed the singer. Erivo, as well as other cast members and security staff, were quick to intervene and escorted the man away from the premises. The man was later identified as Johnson Wen. He was sentenced to 9 days in jail after the incident.
