Cynthia Erivo is setting the record straight about her relationship with Ariana Grande. The 39-year-old actress recently opened up about the intense public scrutiny the pair faced while promoting their hit movie Wicked. She revealed that many people simply did not think their close friendship was real.
In a new interview with Variety published on May 27, 2026, Erivo addressed the rumors head-on. She explained that the non-stop press tour for the musical fantasy film left her and Grande physically and emotionally drained. But through all the chaos, their bond stayed strong. She said they were “holding on by threads” by the end of the promotional run and were “really trying to take care of each other”.
“If I’m a Friend, Then I’m a Friend”
Erivo did not hold back when talking about the public’s reaction to her friendship with the pop superstar. She pointed out that strangers online were quick to judge their relationship without knowing the truth.
“I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends. But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend. If I’m not, then I’m not.”
The British actress also took a slight jab at the armchair experts on social media who analyzed their every move. She found it strange how the internet turned into a therapy session for their relationship.
“It’s very interesting, watching what people’s perception is versus what the reality actually is. Lots of psychologists seated at home deciding who we were, what we were going through, what we were doing and why.”
Despite the rumors and the exhausting schedule, Erivo confirmed that her friendship with Grande did not end when the cameras stopped rolling. In fact, the two still talk regularly. She shared that they text each other almost every single day, proving their connection was built to last beyond the Wicked franchise.
Protecting Each Other During a Scary Moment
Erivo recalled one terrifying incident during the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good that showed exactly why the two actresses are so close. A man rushed the red carpet and grabbed Grande. While others froze, Erivo jumped into action immediately.
She described the event as “terrifying” and explained that the situation was actually much worse than what the videos showed online. The man would not let go of Grande, so Erivo kept pushing him away to protect her friend.
“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.”
Erivo was surprised that her protective instincts were met with criticism instead of praise. She said some people thought she overreacted, but she stands by her decision. For her, the rule is simple: “A stranger is a stranger. Personal space is still personal space.”
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The Pact They Made Before Filming
The bond between Erivo and Grande did not happen by accident. In her memoir Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much (released November 2025), Erivo revealed that the two made a pact before they even started filming. They promised to protect and support each other through the entire process.
They knew that Hollywood often pits female co-stars against each other. Rumors of fights and jealousy usually follow big movies like Wicked. But Erivo and Grande decided to do the exact opposite. They agreed to always have each other’s backs.
Grande also spoke about this decision in a 2025 interview with NPR. She said it was important to them from the very beginning “to build something real.” They wanted a safe space with each other because they knew the journey of making two massive movies would be “tremendous.”
Looking Back at the Chaos
Reflecting on the entire experience, Erivo admitted that the Wicked press tour completely took over her life. She called it “its own storm in a teacup” that beautifully changed her life. However, the constant judgment and viral moments were hard to handle.
She explained that people often forgot she was playing a character. Because she was promoting a fantasy movie while dressed as Elphaba (the green witch), many viewers confused her role with her real personality.
“I think sometimes, if I’m honest, people thought I was being myself, even though I was green.”
The intense online criticism even made her want to step back from public events. She revealed that she considered pulling out of promotional engagements because she felt her “humanity had been bastardized.” The internet turned her protective instincts into cruel memes focused on her appearance, her physique, and her shaved head.
Despite the difficult moments, Erivo remains grateful for the friendship she found. While the Wicked movies are now finished (the sequel Wicked: For Good released in 2025), her daily texts with Grande prove that the bond was never fake.
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