Wicked staff deny pay disparity rumour between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo

Reports of pay disparity between Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who portray Elphaba and Glinda respectively in the upcoming movie, have been dismissed by Universal Pictures. A spokesperson for the film production and distribution company clarified that these claims are “false,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. There had been murmurs on social media that Ariana was paid 15 times more than her co-star.

Universal Studios on pay disparity rumours
“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,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Sources familiar with the production confirmed that both actresses were compensated equally for their roles in the movie musical directed by Jon M. Chu.

Rumours about Erivo and Grande’s salaries surfaced on TikTok and Reddit earlier this week, with social media users alleging Grande earned $15 million for the film while Erivo was paid $1 million. These unverified claims were picked up by multiple news outlets, amplifying the controversy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

All about Wicked, the Wizard of Oz-spinoff musical
Wicked, adapted from Gregory Maguire’s best-selling novel, tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. Erivo stars as Elphaba, while Grande plays Glinda. Winnie Holzman, the original stage production’s book writer, collaborated with Dana Fox on the screenplay for Chu’s film. Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar-winning composer and lyricist of the original musical, has adapted the score for the cinematic version. The cast also features Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and Bowen Yang.

During promotional interviews, the Wicked co-stars have spoken warmly about their off-screen friendship, even expressing a desire to return to the Broadway stage together in the future, according to The Hollywood Reporter.