Cynthia Erivo addressed rumors that she is romantically involved with her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
Erivo, 39, and Grande, 32, co-starred in the two-part film adaptation of the hit musical, but their closeness during the press tour led some fans to question their relationship.
Erivo called it a “weird charm” in an interview with Stylist published on February 10th.
“People either thought we were doing it for the camera or that we were lovers,” she said.
Erivo blamed it on people not being used to seeing “deep and genuine” platonic female friendships.
“We’re not used to seeing it on camera or in front of people,” she said. “The relationships that people are connected to sometimes just make people uncomfortable. We’re not taught that those relationships are good for us.”
Back in November, during an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, Grande explained why she and Erivo “like to touch each other.” The “Thank U, Next” singer said she likes to “convey a lot of energy through[my]hands.”
Grande noted that she is “always holding hands, always holding something,” or “always reaching for something,” usually with anyone nearby.
She also said she strives to maintain a close friendship with Erivo.
“We are both very busy, but we are doing our best to stay connected and take care of each other so that we can honor this project as much as humanly possible,” she shared.
She noted that her physical displays of affection are meant to “pour support and energy” into loved ones.
Both Grande and Erivo have relationships with others. Grande is dating her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, while Erivo is in a long-term relationship with Chi creator Lena Waithe.
Wicked: For Good was surprisingly ignored by the Academy, receiving zero Oscar nominations in 2026.
Grande and Erivo were dropped from the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories for their roles as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, after being jointly nominated in 2025.
The first “Wicked” movie received 10 nominations at the 2025 Oscars, winning Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.
Michelle Yeoh, who played Madame Morrible in both parts of the movie Wicked, expressed her disappointment in an interview with Variety magazine.
“I think the problem sometimes is that people think, ‘Oh, I’ve already accomplished so much with my first film, so let’s give other people a chance,’ and then they’re like, ‘No, come on!’ Yo said. “It’s a very beautiful and well-made movie.”
