Cynthia Erivo speaks out about her reaction to fan-edited Wicked poster she called ‘most offensive thing ever’

Cynthia Erivo, star of the much-anticipated Wicked movie, has spoken about her controversial reaction to a fan-edited poster for the film.

Cynthia Erivo. Credit: Taylor Hill / Getty

The actress expressed her disappointment last month, calling the artwork "the most offensive thing" she'd seen, criticizing the way it altered how much of her face was seen in it.

Taking to social media to voice her frustrations, Erivo shared the controversial image, stating: "None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us."

Credit: Instagram

She emphasized the importance of authenticity, explaining how the original poster aimed to connect directly with the audience through unspoken visual communication.

"The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION. I am a real life human being, who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer... Because, without words we communicate with our eyes."

Erivo was particularly upset about the modifications made to her eyes and the airbrushing applied to Ariana Grande's facial features. "Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful," she added.

Cynthia Erivo. Credit: John Nacion / Getty

Reflecting on her reaction, Erivo admitted during the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards red carpet that she feels very protective of the project.

She suggested that perhaps she should have discussed her feelings privately rather than airing them publicly. "I probably should have called a friend," she mused.

In a subsequent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Erivo elaborated on her emotional response, attributing it to her deep connection to the character she portrays, Elphaba.

"Having that passion for what this piece is and loving it so much and knowing how much I want to communicate through Elphaba, that’s probably where that came from," she explained. "And so in my little human moment I had... I fell out on the internet, when really I should have just picked up my phone and called a friend."

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in the new Wicked movie. Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

The actress also shared insights into how she personally relates to her character, from their shared impatience to their candid nature. "I think we both have daddy issues,” she noted, adding humorously: "Me more than her."

As for her co-star, Ariana Grande told Variety that the era of AI and fan edits is "so conflicting and troublesome sometimes."

Although she acknowledges that fans enjoy making their creative interpretations, she expressed concerns about the broader implications of AI in content creation.

"It’s just a big adjustment period. It’s so much stimulation about something that’s so much bigger than us," said Grande, who also voiced her support for Erivo amidst the controversy.

Featured image credit: Taylor Hill / Getty