Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have impressed audiences with their performances in Wicked, and along the way, they’ve also showcased a genuine bond during their press interviews. Their off-screen friendship is evident, and their support for each other goes back to before cameras even started rolling on the hit musical. During a recent conversation with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Grande, who stars as Glinda, explained how she and Erivo ensured their contracts were “aligned” and addressed what each of the stars needed.

“When I got my contract, I called [Erivo], and was like, ‘Hey let’s go through this thing. Let’s go beat by beat through this together and make sure we are aligned in what we need,'” she shared. “If [Erivo needs] something, we need it together. I want us to have each other’s backs. Your problems become my problems and mine become yours.”

That was the beginning of a beautiful partnership. Grande and Erivo have impressed as Glinda and Elphaba, earning Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively. The film has also earned two additional Golden Globe nods for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement (Wicked has globally grossed over $500 million since its November 22 premiere). Grande and Erivo are both garnering Oscars buzz, too. The closeness and emotional bond between the two actresses during interviews hasn’t gone unnoticed, with several parodying their interactions. During her SAG-AFTRA Foundation talk, Grande elaborated on the connection between her and Erivo:

“It’s impossible to really share the depths of how real that is. We started creating that long before we ever got to set,” Grande said. “I think it was a really important part of the work that we did. I’m really grateful because one of the things that I’m most proud of is how we nurtured each other.”

Universal Dispels ‘Wicked’ Pay Disparity Rumors

Grande’s comments come less than a month later after Universal publicly addressed rumors of a massive pay discrepancy between Grande and Erivo. Through social media, speculation circulated that Grande had earned $15 million for her portrayal of Glinda, while Erivo had taken home $1 million for her role as Elphaba. Universal quickly dispelled those rumors with a statement that shared:

“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on ‘Wicked.'”

Wicked is directed by Jon M. Chu, and is adapted from the hit Broadway musical of the same name, which is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. On Broadway, the roles Elphaba and Glinda were initially famously portrayed by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. As a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this story follows the young Elphaba, who is destined to be the Wicked Witch of the West, and her complex relationship with her classmate Galinda, who eventually becomes known as Glinda the Good.

Along with Erivo and Grande, Wicked stars Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage. It is currently in theaters. Wicked has been divided into two parts, with Part 2 set for release in November 2025.