Cynthia Erivo Says Scrutiny of Grande Friendship Was Uncomfortable

Cynthia Erivo says public scrutiny of her friendship with Ariana Grande, and the reaction to her intervention when a man rushed Grande at a Singapore premiere, made her uncomfortable. In an interview about her upcoming film Prima Facie, Erivo questioned why audiences treated her friendship with her Wicked co-star as suspect and criticized the pair’s emotional displays. Erivo said people appeared to question why the two women were friends and connected, and to suggest that something must be wrong with them. She also challenged criticism of their crying, laughing and showing emotion during publicity for the films. She described the attention as a double-edged sword, saying that showing less emotion could also have prompted criticism. The scrutiny intensified after an incident at the Singapore premiere of Wicked For Good. A man rushed toward Grande on the red carpet, and Erivo intervened. She recalled that no one else was moving and said her immediate response was to get him away from them. Erivo described the moment as terrifying and said she would have acted similarly for any friend. Some people characterized Erivo as Grande’s bodyguard after the incident. Erivo said the label...