The bond between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande remains unshakable, even when health hiccups intervene. For the New York City premiere of Wicked: For Good on Monday, November 17, the stars opted out of red carpet interviews after Erivo lost her voice, Universal confirmed to PEOPLE.
Though interviews were paused, the duo still walked the red carpet together, maintaining their signature camaraderie. Studio representatives shared, “Unfortunately, Cynthia is not feeling well and has lost her voice, therefore she and Ariana will not be doing interviews this evening.” The rest of the star-studded cast, including Jonathan Bailey, director Jon M. Chu, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Colman Domingo, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, were present as expected.
Grande’s international promotional tour has had its fair share of challenges. Earlier in November, she missed the Brazil premiere due to travel issues and was involved in a red carpet incident in Singapore, which Erivo helped manage. Their onscreen characters, Elphaba and Glinda, share a narrative of power, fame, and resilience in Oz, with the sequel Wicked: For Good introducing two new songs from Stephen Schwartz: Erivo’s “No Place Like Home” and Grande’s “The Girl in the Bubble.”
Offscreen, the stars’ connection shines equally bright. Erivo described working with Grande as “really exhilarating — a little bit addictive,” noting the intuitive communication and support they provide each other during intense press tours. “There were days where it’s like, ‘I’m exhausted and I don’t really have it today,’ and she’d be like, ‘Well, I’ve got it. What’s the word we need to use?’” she recalled.
With the film hitting theaters on November 21, fans can anticipate both the magic of their characters and the genuine warmth of the actresses’ real-life partnership, underscoring the enduring friendship that helps them thrive in one of Broadway’s most beloved stories.
