Cynthia Erivo blasts online backlash after Singapore ‘Wicked’ premiere incident

Cynthia Erivo has spoken out about the intense backlash she faced after stepping in to protect co-star Ariana Grande during a red carpet incident at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore in November 2025.

The 39-year-old star said the experience left her feeling as though her “humanity had been bastardised,” as she reflected on how the situation unfolded and the online reaction that followed.

During the premiere at Universal Studios Singapore, a man rushed the red carpet area and attempted to reach Grande, prompting Erivo to intervene and physically shield her co-star.

Recalling the moment, Erivo said she acted instinctively as others around her failed to respond.

“Nobody moved. Nobody moved. So I moved because my brain went, ‘Get him away! Get him out of here!’” she said, adding that the individual would not let go of Grande despite efforts to remove him.

While the incident was widely reported at the time, Erivo said the aftermath online became far more distressing than the event itself.

She criticised viral memes and social media commentary that focused on her appearance, saying she was subjected to ridicule based on her physique, shaved head, and physical presence.

“It was my physique; it was my shape; it was the fact that I was bald,” she said, adding that false assumptions were made about her role in the incident and her dynamic with Grande.

Erivo said she was often portrayed as physically overpowering or controlling, something she strongly rejected.

She also linked the experience to her decision not to actively campaign for an Academy Award for her performance in the Wicked sequel, suggesting the backlash influenced her mindset.

“I just felt like my humanity had been bastardised,” she said, adding that she did not want to put herself through similar scrutiny again.

The actress said the reaction reflected broader assumptions about how women—particularly women who look like her—are perceived in public spaces.

Erivo also described a broader “upturned nose” toward the second instalment of Wicked, though she noted that the project still had a significant and positive impact on her life.

Despite the controversy, she acknowledged the film experience ultimately proved transformative, calling it something that “beautifully changed my life.”