[Video] Cynthia Erivo Protects Ariana Grande from Wild Fan at ‘Wicked’ Premiere
A tense moment unfolded on the red carpet at the Wicked: For Good premiere when a fan suddenly rushed toward Ariana Grande.
Video from the event shows the fan running up to the singer and grabbing her, nearly knocking her over. Cynthia Erivo, who stars alongside Grande in the film, acted quickly to push the man away and protect her co-star.
Michelle Yeoh also helped by holding Grande’s hand to prevent her from falling. The crowd reacted with audible shock, and Grande herself looked visibly startled. Security moved in immediately after Erivo intervened, escorting the fan off the carpet.
Cynthia Erivo protects Ariana Grande from a ‘Wicked: For Good’ premiere attendee. pic.twitter.com/XQBeQJWZsI
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 13, 2025
Wicked: For Good is the sequel to the 2024 film Wicked. Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the movie continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda in the Land of Oz. The film is based on the stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn adapts Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, a reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reprise their roles as Elphaba and Glinda, alongside Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The story follows the two witches as they embrace their identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
Return to the magical world of Oz ✨ Get your tickets NOW for Wicked: For Good https://t.co/ZusjT6MqoA pic.twitter.com/AWAecXYKZ5
— Wicked: For Good (@wickedmovie) October 8, 2025
The movie has had a long production history. Universal Pictures and Marc Platt first announced the adaptation in 2012. Filming began in December 2022 in England but faced delays, including a pause in July 2023 during the SAG-AFTRA strike. Production resumed and finished in January 2024. To fully tell the story, the adaptation was split into two parts.
Wicked: For Good premiered in São Paulo, Brazil, on November 4, and will be released in the United States by Universal Pictures on November 21.
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