Film studio behind 'Wicked' addresses rumors Ariana Grande was paid more than Cynthia Erivo for the movie
The production company behind Wicked has addressed rumors about the pay disparity between film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
In a statement sent to multiple entertainment outlets like The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Universal Pictures set the record straight and said that the two actresses were given the same salary for the hit offering.
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson for Universal said.
“The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked,” they added.
This comes after rumors of a huge pay disparity between the movie stars circulated on TikTok and Reddit, with users claiming that Grande received $15 million (P882 million) for her role as Glinda, a significant gap compared to Erivo who was rumored to have earned only $1 million (over P58 million) for her work as Elphaba. The rumors have then been picked up by other entertainment sites like The New York Post.
Helmed by Jon M. Chu, the movie adaptation of the famous stage musical tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. It centers on Elphaba, a young woman with unusual green skin who has yet to discover her true power, and Glinda, who is popular and gilded by privilege and ambition but has yet to discover her true heart.
After meeting as students in the fantastical Land of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda unexpectedly form a close bond. Their friendship, however, gets tested after an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, even as their lives take very different paths.
Aside from Grande and Erivo, the film also stars Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, and Ethan Slater.
Wicked: Part One opened in local cinemas on Nov. 20, while its second part is slated for 2025.
