Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were paid the same for ‘Wicked’

Amid rumors that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo received different salaries for their work in Wickedthe reports were denied by the film’s production company, Universal Pictures.

“Reports of pay disparities between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on the internet. Women received equal pay for their work on Wicked” said a Universal spokesperson. The Hollywood Reporter in a press release Tuesday, November 26.

Viral posts about Erivo and Grande’s salary began surfacing on TikTok and Reddit this month, as social media users claimed that Grande earned $15 million for her role as Glinda while Erivo earned $1 million as Elphaba.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked grossed $164.2 million worldwide in its opening weekend beginning November 22. The live adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical earned the third-biggest opening of the year, behind Deadpool and Wolverine And Inside Out 2THE Associated Press reports. The second half of the musical will be released with part two in 2025.

Wicked takes place in the Land of Oz, before the arrival of Dorothy Gale from Kansas. The story follows green-skinned and misunderstood Elphaba, who befriends the popular Glinda at Shiz University. The duo’s friendship reaches a turning point following an encounter with the wonderful Wizard of Oz. The rest of the director Wicked the cast includes Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Olivier winner Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Boq, Emmy nominee Bowen Yang as as Pfannee and Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz.