Ariana Grande has tested positive for the new coronavirus.
As the press and promotional tour for Wicked: For Good comes to a close, Grande took to her Instagram Story on Thursday, posting an image from her appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon earlier this week and the message, “Just before COVID.”
The news comes just days after Grande skipped an interview at the New York premiere of her film For Good in solidarity with Cynthia Erivo, who lost her voice due to illness.
Grande had to withdraw from her appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” with Erivo after testing positive for COVID-19. (Erivo will appear alone in this segment.) Grande will also be absent from a Q&A discussion about “Wicked: For Good” scheduled for the next few days.
Erivo and Grande tested positive for coronavirus at different times during the filming of their first film, Wicked. Erivo contracted the virus just days before filming Defying Gravity, while Grande was diagnosed just before filming Popular.
The “Wicked: For Good” press tour has had some hiccups since it started earlier this month. Grande was unable to attend the first premiere in Brazil. A man jumped over a red carpet barricade and rushed to Grande City during a festival in Singapore. Erivo immediately took action to remove the man from her co-star.
Variety’s Rebecca Rubin reported Wednesday that Wicked: For Good is expected to gross between $150 million and $180 million in its first weekend in 4,000 North American theaters. There’s a good chance this debut film will become the year’s biggest opening, surpassing April’s “Minecraft Movie” ($162 million) and May’s “Lilo & Stitch” remake ($146 million). “Wicked” earned $112.5 million in the same pre-Thanksgiving slot, setting a record for a stage-to-screen adaptation.
At the New York premiere, Grande ran down the carpet as Erivo gave me a thumbs up and told me, “We’re so grateful. We’re amazing. Cynthia’s amazing too.”
“Wicked: For Good” will be released tomorrow, November 21st.
