Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Ariana Grande has opened up about how deep some fans think her relationship with her Wicked co-star is.
On Tuesday The Hollywood Reporter published an interview with the “Break Free” singer where she revealed that there has been speculation that she and Cynthia Erivo are more than friends or even co-stars.
“People think we’re secretly married,” she told the publication.
Grande continued, saying that she has seen some “Gelfie stuff” or edits of their two characters from the Wicked movie, Glinda and Elphaba, and didn’t realize how detailed some fans could be in picturing the characters in some type of romantic relationship.
“I wish I could unsee some things,” the “we can’t be friends” singer said. “I mean, wow, I had a feeling, but I didn’t know it would be on this scale or this graphic.”
Although the two of them are not in a romantic relationship, they have constantly gushed and praised each other.
“To work with someone who is just absolutely in their own league as a talent in the world — there’s no one like her,” Grande said about Erivo on Penn Badgley’s podcast Podcrushed in June 2024.
“To just feel like we somehow speak the same language and somehow we’re destined to do this together and to feel safe every single day together and hold space.”
“To have that — the love that we have and trust that we have and deep love that we have for each other is — I think it all kind of happened the way it did because of that and because we were supposed to be in each other’s lives, I really do,” she added.
Despite the two actors both being in relationships — Grande began dating her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater in 2023 and Erivo has reportedly been dating Lena Waithe since 2020 — the Victorious alum has previously opened up about a theory she had regarding Glinda’s sexuality.
In an interview with The Gay Times ahead of the movie’s premiere, Grande and Erivo discussed the inherent queerness of both Wicked and the world of Oz created by author L. Frank Baum.
“Every day in the Emerald City is a Pride parade, right?” the pop star said. “Even, like, the chickens. Those chickens are gay.”
Grande even went on to suggest that Shiz University’s goat professor Dr. Dillamond, played by Peter Dinklage, is a “gay icon.”
As for the Wicked fans who “ship” Glinda and Elphaba being in a romantic relationship, the pair admitted at the time that their theories weren’t far off.
“I think Elfie, she goes wherever the wind goes. I think she loves Glinda, I think she loves love,” Erivo told the publication. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating the deep connection that both of them have. They do have a real relationship, it is true love, which is probably why people are shipping it because what they build with each other is an unbreakable bond.”
Grande explained that their characters provide “such a safe space for one another, which is what all relationships should be.”
“So, you know, whether it’s romantic or platonic — Glinda might be a little in the closet — but if there were a time, you never know. Give it a little more time,” she added.
