Cynthia Erivo responds to criticism over friendship with Ariana Grande
Cynthia Erivo has spoken out against the online criticism surrounding her close friendship with Ariana Grande, saying some people seemed uncomfortable with the idea that two women could genuinely be friends.
In an interview with The Guardian on Oct. 27, the Wicked star reflected on the public scrutiny she and Grande faced during the press tours for the two-part musical adaptation.
“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 said. “Like, why are they friends? Why are they connected? There must be something wrong with them."
Erivo also pointed out the double standard she felt they faced, explaining that showing less emotion could have invited a different kind of criticism.
“Why are they showing emotion? How dare they cry? And how dare they laugh? And how dare they be emotive and alive?” she said. “Because if we were dead behind the eyes and showing no emotion, there would have been something else to say about it. I wish there was someone who could have been like, ‘Right, this is the proper balance of emotion that you should show. Don’t show this. Don’t show that. Just this amount."
Erivo also revisited the incident in Singapore in November 2025, when a man rushed toward Grande on the red carpet and grabbed her while attempting to take a selfie. Erivo immediately stepped in and put her arm around Grande. She described the moment as terrifying, recalling that her immediate reaction was to get the man away from them.
Following the incident, some people online referred to Erivo as Grande’s “bodyguard,” a characterization she took issue with.
For her, the reaction reflected misogyny and misogynoir, a term describing prejudice directed at Black women, particularly the intersection of racism and sexism.
Erivo questioned why her instinct to protect a friend had been framed that way, saying she would have expected the same response from a friend looking out for her.
“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,’” she said.
“I think the idea that it’s OK to rip a person to shreds in that way when they’re doing something that’s a naturally human thing to do just felt crazy,” she added. "People in the public eye are supposed to just take abuse. I think that this particular moment went just too far.”
Erivo and Grande's friendship started when they starred as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the film adaptations of the Broadway musical Wicked.
The first film premiered in 2024, followed by Wicked: For Good in 2025. Their friendship became a frequent topic during promotional tours, with memes about their emotional interviews and affectionate gestures circulating online.
Despite the scrutiny, the two have continued to express their appreciation for each other. They also got matching For Good tattoos in November 2025, inspired by the musical’s song on the lasting impact of friendship.
Both actresses received Academy Award nominations for their performances in the first film, which earned 10 nominations and won two awards.