Cynthia Erivo Responds to “Bodyguard” Jokes After Protecting Ariana Grande on Red Carpet During ‘Wicked’ Press Tour

Cynthia Erivo has spoken about the viral jokes calling her Ariana Grande’s “bodyguard” after she stepped in during a red carpet security incident, and she says the reaction revealed deeper issues about how Black women are seen in public life.

In an interview with Variety, Erivo addressed the moment she intervened when a fan rushed toward Ariana Grande during a premiere. The situation quickly spread online, where memes and jokes described her as a “bodyguard” rather than a co-star or friend. Erivo says the way people framed the moment says more about bias than comedy.

“I think that we haven’t really come to terms with the insidious nature of how we view Black women,” she said. She added that people might dismiss the idea, but she believes it is exactly what was happening. “It was my physique; it was my shape; it was the fact that I was bald; it was about what I looked like. And because of that, there was this assumption that I was bigger than my co-star and so I had to be controlling or protecting, and that was my role. I would hazard a guess that it would not have been the same had it been the other way around.”

Erivo also reflected on how intense the experience around Wicked and its sequel became for her and Grande. The two stars spent years promoting the film adaptation of the Broadway musical and became closely linked in the public eye. Erivo said their real friendship was often questioned online, even though it was genuine.

She explained that the two made a conscious effort to stay close during the long press tours and filming process. “We were holding on by threads,” she said, describing how they supported each other through constant travel, interviews, and public attention.

According to Erivo, much of the online conversation around them ignored the reality of their relationship and replaced it with assumptions. She said, “Lots of psychologists seated at home deciding who we were, what we were going through, what we were doing and why.”

The red carpet incident only increased that attention. While many praised her for acting quickly to protect Grande, the internet response also turned it into jokes and memes that Erivo felt reduced her identity. She said the focus on her appearance played a major role in how the moment was interpreted.

Erivo pointed out that the same situation would likely not have been framed the same way if the physical roles were reversed. She said the assumptions were shaped by how people view Black women’s bodies and presence in public spaces.

Beyond the viral moment, Erivo also spoke about the emotional weight of the entire Wicked experience. She described feeling exhausted by the constant scrutiny and said it affected how she felt about public campaigning during awards season.

Despite the challenges, she said she still values the experience and her work with Grande. She also noted that the intensity of fame and online reaction has made her more careful about how she approaches future projects and public life.

For Erivo, the situation became less about a single viral moment and more about a pattern of interpretation she feels is often unfair.

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