The stars of the new movie version of Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, discuss how people felt about their emotional press conferences head-on. People know the major actresses, who play Glinda and Elphaba, for their teary interviews while the movie was on tour.
In a recent interview with E! News, Grande answered directly to complaints about the times they got emotional. “If you’re going to comment on how annoying it is, I’ll say it first,” she told me. “I’m mad and worn out. “My tear ducts are worn out.” The comment came after another teary-eyed moment in the chat that the co-stars just about kept under control.
The movie’s journey to the big screen helps explain why the stars care so much about it. Production started in December 2022, but it was held up several times by COVID-19 and the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023. These problems brought Grande and Erivo closer together.
“We’ve come through a massive, massive thing, and we’ve stuck together,” Erivo said. Grande said they had a “private cry” in a parking lot before an interview, showing that their relationship goes beyond what you see on TV.
Grande rebuffed critics who questioned her emotional openness in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “Why does emotional availability scare you so?” she asked me. Together, the women said that their tears are from “happiness” and “joy,” which brought to mind the three years it took to make the project a reality.
The much-anticipated musical movie will open in theaters nationwide on November 22. The show recently opened in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art, which drew famous people like Anna Wintour and Broadway stars.
As expectations grow, Grande and Erivo continue to show how they feel, turning what could be seen as criticism into a powerful story of artistic passion and personal connection.
