Universal Insists the Wicked Witches Were Paid the Same Salary

With Wicked‘s current perch atop pop culture’s social-media obsessions, along with all the pink sparkly cosplay and meme-able “holding space” moments, there were inevitably also gonna be some disparaging grumbles. Not about the movie itself—most people are freaking out with delight over that—but over more esoteric concerns. The latest involves an alleged pay disparity between stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande so distressing, Universal made the rare move of actually responding directly to the rumors.

Variety writes this came after a New York Post story that sourced “unsubstantiated claims by TikTok and Reddit users” who believed Grande (a Nickelodeon star turned Grammy-winning pop star) had earned several million dollars more than Erivo (a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony winner, as well as a two-time Oscar nominee). Unsurprisingly, the studio felt compelled to speak out.

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

How much those equally balanced paychecks were worth, however, is still a mystery. Wicked‘s box-office take thus far (it had the biggest-ever opening for a Broadway adaptation, according to the trade) would certainly justify generous salaries for its stars—and bodes well for 2025’s Wicked Part Two, which will wrap up the story a year from now. Will you be ready for a fresh avalanche of Wicked-adjacent rumors to take over the internet all over again?

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