Universal Addresses Rumours That Ariana Grande Was Paid $15 million More Than Cynthia Erivo for ‘Wicked’

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande attend the WSJ. Magazine 2024 Innovator Awards on October 29, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards)

With all the fanfare around the Wicked premiere, there’s also been some fresh controversy surrounding the film’s leads, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Despite being rolled out for the global press tour together and sitting with each other for interviews, rumours recently circulated on the Internet that the duo were not equally compensated for their work on the musical. Though it’s unclear where the figures came from, netizens were outraged to hear that Grande was paid a whopping $15 million for her supporting role as Glinda, while Erivo, 37, made only $1 million as the leading Elphaba. Given the $150 million USD budget for the Jon M. Chu-directed project, fans were naturally outraged over the discrepancy.

The actors haven’t publicly commented on the rumours, but as Page Six learned, they remain baseless.

“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” said a spokesperson for Universal Pictures. “The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”

The studio declined to confirm the actual amount that Grande and Erivo were paid.

Wicked (2024) Image: Universal Studios

An adaptation of the hit Broadway musical of the same name, Wicked takes place in the universe of The Wizard of Oz, exploring the events that prefaced Dorothy’s journey, recounting the unlikely friendship of the green Elphaba (later known as the Wicked Witch of the West) and her spirited roommate Galinda (eventually dubbed Glinda the Good Witch).

After extensive production, the film finally premiered on November 3rd, 2024, to $112 million in North America and $164 million globally, ranking as the third-best domestic debut of the year and biggest ever for a Broadway adaptation.

Its second part will only hit theatres in 2025.

Throughout the press tour, Grande and Erivo have been attached at the hip, growing very close throughout filming. Erivo even told Elle that she feels she’s “gained a sister” in Grande and shared that they were both “blown away by how connected [they] were immediately” when they first met.