Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo received equal pay for ‘Wicked,’ says spokesperson
“Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (left) | Image: Instagram/@arianagrande
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are at the center of swirling rumors of a pay disparity for their roles in the blockbuster “Wicked,” a claim recently denied by a spokesperson for Universal Pictures.
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked,” said the spokesperson in a rare statement sent to members of the press.
This statement comes after online rumors on the unequal compensation surfaced on TikTok and Reddit claiming Grande made $15 million for the film while Erivo earned only $1 million, an information that was picked up by some news outlets.
The unequal salary rumors also suggest that Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, who play Madame Morrible and the Wizard, respectively, each earned $2 million. Jonathan Bailey, who plays Prince Fiyero, is said to have earned $450,000, while Ethan Slater, portraying Boq, reportedly received $350,000. Marissa Bode and Bowen Yang are each rumored to have earned $250,000.
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The studio did not disclose the amount of Grande and Erivo’s pay, but the company spent a combined $300 million to produce “Wicked” two-part films, excluding the marketing efforts, according to Variety.
Article continues after this advertisement“Wicked” continues to dominate at the box office, earning a record-breaking $15.8 million for a musical, beating the $12.7 million record of “Frozen 2” in 2019. For its opening weekend, “Wicked” posted $112 million in North America and $164 million globally.
“Wicked” follows the story of Elphaba (Erivo), a young woman misjudged because of her green skin, who build an unusual friendship with Glinda (Grande), a popular young lady gilded by privilege and ambition.
Part one of “Wicked” is currently showing in nationwide cinemas, while “Wicked: Part Two” is set for a 2025 release.
