Yahoo Lifestyle Following Rumors She Was Paid More, Ariana Grande Said That She And Cynthia Erivo Went Through Their “Wicked” Contracts Together To Ensure They Were “Aligned”
Last month, a spokesperson for Universal was forced to shut down rumors of a multimillion-dollar pay disparity between the two lead stars of the Wicked movie.
In case you missed it, unsubstantiated online reports suggested that Ariana Grande was paid $15 million for playing Glinda. In comparison, it was claimed that her costar, Cynthia Erivo, only received $1 million for her portrayal of Elphaba.
Wicked had a record-breaking box office opening in November, and both actors are receiving widespread critical acclaim for their stunning performances in the musical adaptation.
As the rumors began gaining traction, a representative from Universal was forced to speak out, making it clear that “the women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson for the production company said in a statement provided to outlets like the Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
Since then, there has been no official word on how much Cynthia and Ariana were actually paid, and neither of the actors has directly addressed the rumors. Although Ari recently opened up about how important it was for her and Cynthia to be “aligned” when it came to the small print.
Speaking with Jessica Shaw for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series, Ariana talked about the value of her dynamic with Cynthia, recalling that trust and transparency were a priority from the very moment they were cast in the iconic roles back in 2021.
“During that time, we were really getting to know each other in a real human way,” she said, talking about the period of time between them being cast and production officially getting underway at the end of 2022.
Looking back, Ari said that she and Cynthia made a “pact” to always “take care of each other and to be really honest with each other about anything that was to come up.”
Notably, Ariana said she thought fans would be surprised by how deep this pact went — and proceeded to tell the story of getting her contract for the movie and immediately calling Cynthia so that they could run through it together.
“I called her and I was like, ‘Hey, let’s go through this thing. Let’s go beat per beat through this together and make sure we are aligned in what we need,’” the singer recalled telling Cynthia. “‘Because if you need something, we need it together. I want us to have each other’s backs. Your problems become my problems, and mine become yours.’”
The costars’ tight bond became the subject of a lot of discourse on the Wicked press tour — prompting even Ariana to joke that their emotional dynamic is “insufferable.” But, at the heart of it all, Ari said that it’s “impossible to really share the depths” of their relationship, both as friends and colleagues.
“We started creating that long before we ever got to set, and I think it was a really important part of the work that we did,” she said of her close bond with Cynthia. “I’m really grateful because it’s one of the things that I’m most proud of is how we nurtured each other.”
What do you think of Ariana and Cynthia going over their contracts together? I would love to know how common — or uncommon — that is among A-list costars.
You can find Ariana’s full interview for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series here.
A Spokesperson For Universal Slammed The “Completely False” Rumors That Ariana Grande Was Paid More Than Cynthia Erivo For “Wicked”Ellen Durney · Nov. 27, 2024
After Going Viral For Crying So Much During The “Wicked” Press Tour, Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo Have Addressed All The TalkLeyla Mohammed · Nov. 11, 2024
“I Probably Should’ve Called My Friends”: Cynthia Erivo Reflected On Her “Passionate” Reaction To The “Offensive” Fan-Made “Wicked” PosterEllen Durney · Oct. 29, 2024
