Celebrity3 min(s) read
Cynthia Erivo gives interesting answer after fans ask whether she and Ariana Grande are 'lovers'
Cynthia Erivo has responded to ongoing speculation about her close bond with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande.
The actresses sparked romance rumours after they were seen holding hands, standing cheek-to-cheek, and supporting one another throughout the press tours for Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good.
Their affectionate dynamic quickly became a talking point on social media, with some fans questioning whether their bond was more than platonic.
In a new interview with Stylist, the 39-year-old actress reflected on the intense scrutiny their relationship has faced, firmly setting the record straight while offering a broader commentary on how society views close female friendships.
Cynthia Erivo Calls The Speculation A "Strange Fascination"
Erivo told the publication that she believes some people "didn't understand how it was possible for two women to be friends - close - and not lovers".
"I've never really spoken about this, but there was this strange fascination with the two of us, where people either thought we were putting it on for the cameras or that we were lovers," she shared.
The Harriet actress suggested that the reaction stems from how rarely deep, platonic female friendships are centered in public conversations or portrayed onscreen.
"I think it's because there's such little conversation around platonic female friendship that is deep and real, even though it exists everywhere," she said. "We're not used to seeing it on camera, in front of people."
She added: "A relationship where people are connected sometimes just makes people uncomfortable; we aren't taught that those relationships are good for us."
Grande Addresses The Viral Finger Hold
The speculation intensified during the Wicked press tour in late 2024, when Grande was seen holding onto Erivo's finger in a moment that quickly went viral.
The 32-year-old singer later addressed the gesture herself during an appearance on the podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler.
"I do, I do. I channel a lot of energy through my hands. And so I'm always holding a hand," she said. "I'm always, like, squeezing a something, as you've learned. I'm always reaching for something sometimes."
She continued: "Who I'm with. Yeah, I like to channel support and energy... I didn't even notice that it was a thing about me until that thing happened."
Explaining the viral moment further, the 'Thank U Next' songstress admitted: "Yeah, because I didn't know what the f*** was going on. I just wanted to be supportive. I was like, oh my God. And it felt sweet. It felt beautiful. And it was beautiful."
The co-stars' closeness was also evident at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific premiere in Singapore last November, when Erivo rushed to Grande’s side after a fan lunged at the singer.
Grande appeared visibly shaken by the incident. The fan, later identified as 26-year-old Australian Johnson Wen, who goes by the nickname Pyjama Man online, was apprehended by security.
Wen was arrested and charged with public nuisance, sentenced to nine days in jail, and barred from re-entering Singapore, per Daily Mail.