Earlier this month, the cast of “Wicked: For Good” attended the Singapore premiere, where Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the film, was harassed by a man who jumped over the barricade. During the incident, co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly intervened, pushing the man away to ensure her friend’s safety.
The intruder was later identified as Johnson Wen, also known as Pyjama Man, and is reportedly notorious for causing disturbances at concerts and events. He was sentenced to nine days in prison in Singapore. While Ariana Grande has not commented on the incident, Cynthia Erivo shared her thoughts on the ordeal:
Yesterday (Thursday, 20 November), Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo appeared as a guest on the TODAY Show, where she discussed losing her voice, her new memoir “Simply More”, and the “Wicked: For Good” film. At one point during the interview, the host asked the singer, who plays the green witch Elphaba in the new film, about the terrifying incident that happened in Singapore, where she protected co-star Ariana Grande from a man who grabbed her after jumping over the barricade.
“I wasn’t really thinking. I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe. I’m sure he didn’t mean us harm, but you never know with those things, and I wanted to make sure that she was okay. That was my first instinct,” she said on the popular morning show. She then went on to share more about her close bond with Ariana, calling it a long-lasting friendship. “We’re kind of like sisters at this moment in time. And I think we’ve both learned from each other and given each other some really, really beautiful gifts.”
The moment during the interview sparked strong reactions from fans, who felt Cynthia had no need to explain her actions. Many defended the Grammy winner against criticism from those who felt she had been excessive in pushing the dangerous man away. Others continued to criticise the security team that day, suggesting the situation could have ended far worse if the intruder had been armed.
Watch the full interview below:
