Ariana Grande Addressed the Internet Theory that She and Cynthia Erivo Are Married

While Ariana Grande’s relationship with Ethan Slater has come with its share of scrutiny, the Wicked actress revealed that the SpongeBob SquarePants actor isn’t the only co-star she’s been romantically linked to by fans. In a new Hollywood Reporter cover story published on February 11, the multi-hyphenate opened up about how her ultra-close relationship with Cynthia Erivo has spawned internet theories that the pair are not only dating, but they’ve also secretly tied the knot–theories so pervasive that they’ve even spawned their own fan Elphaba-Glinda fan fiction.

Grande revealed she’s well aware of internet speculation around her and Erivo’s friendship, candidly telling the publication, “People think we’re secretly married.” The duo–who’ve been inseparable during their Wicked press circuit and awards season so far–have even created their own “holding space” meme, thanks to the now-viral moment where Grande clutched Erivo’s long fingernail in solidarity during an interview.

The “7 Rings” singer made light about some of the “Gelphie stuff”--fan fiction and art shipping her and Erivo’s characters Elphaba and Glinda in a romantic relationship–she’d seen online. “I wish I could unsee some things,” she quipped. “I mean, wow, I had a feeling, but I didn’t know it would be on this scale or this graphic.”

On a more serious note, Grande also opened up about the “painful” scrutiny around her relationships, most notably rumors about her romance with Slater. After Grande separated from her ex-husband Dalton Gomez and Slater separated from his then-wife Lilly Jay, the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer and Slater were romantically linked in July 2023. They became Instagram official in November 2024, and were most recently spotted together at the Critics Choice Awards.

"It’ll never be unpainful," Grande told The Hollywood Reporter about dealing with public scrutiny. "But also, I walk with the awareness that I’m an artist and this is a path that I’ve chosen, and so I just try to protect myself so that I never start to resent the art."

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