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Cutest Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande moments - Their friendship timeline
2 December 2024, 16:56
Here's a look at the bond Wicked actresses Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have made whilst filming the two-part epic.
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During the Super Bowl 2024 we were treated to a first look at the movie musical Wicked which starred Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who won the roles of the leading ladies Elphaba and Glinda against all the other celebs who auditioned.
The film has taken the world by storm, from the queer interpretations and song changes to the extraordinary lengths the actress went to for the roles, like completely skipping bathroom breaks (Cynthia).
Whilst the world was gifted an incredible piece of art that is the Wicked film, we were also gifted with the most intense and wholesome friendship we've ever seen develop between two actors. Despite Ariana meeting her boyfriend Ethan Slater on set it's Cynthia she's become inseparable from, so much so that they even have matching tattoos
Here's a look at when they first met, how their friendship blossomed and all of our favourite IRL Elphie and Glinda moments.
- Read more: Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo says fans should sing along with the movie in cinemas
- Read more: When will Wicked be on streaming? How to watch the Wicked movie online
November 2021: Ariana receives flowers from Cynthia
After it was announced that Ariana had landed the role of Glinda and Cynthia was playing Elphaba, the London born actress sent Ari flowers to congratulate her.
The 'yes, and?' singer shared a pic of the bouquet to her Instagram story, they came complete with a note which read: "Pink goes good with green. Congratulations Miss A, the part was made for you, I look forward to sharing this musical journey with you."
Ariana returned the gesture, sending flowers to Cynthia with the message: "Dear Cynthia, honoured doesn't even begin to cover it. I cannot wait to hug you. See you in Oz."
July 2022: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo meet for Wicked rehearsals
Ariana and Cynthia officially met in person for the first time in July 2022 after a virtual meeting back in 2021 when they were announced as the leads for the film.
When they first met they shared pictures and videos on their Instagram stories of them hugging while wearing masks, as it was still Covid times. They also shared an adorable snap of them giggling while doing a script read. It looks like from the very start their working relationship was pretty perfect.
It wasn't until three months after they met that Ariana shared pictures of them rehearsing in a dance studio though but all of the behind-the-scenes that she gave made rehearsals for Wicked look like a lot of fun.
Since they first met they've often shared pictures and selfies together.
February 2022: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo go to see Wicked on Broadway
Ariana Grande stars in Wicked trailer
Lifelong Wicked fan Ari continued her ongoing prep for her role in 2022 when she went along with friends to see the stage show on Broadway.
The show she saw starred Brittney Johnson who made made history that month by becoming the first Black woman to be cast as Glinda full-time.
After seeing the show, Ariana praised the performance on her Instagram, saying: "what an unimaginably, indescribably special experience. @sunnybrittney & @lindsayheatherpearce you were both so incredibly stunning. it was an absolute honor meeting your Galinda & your Elphie !!!! floating home."
The caption came underneath a carousel of pictures of her night and in the very last picture she tagged Cynthia, so although they weren't pictured together it seems the Elphaba-to-be came along too.
April 2023: Ariana and Cynthia seal their friendship with matching tattoos
In a dated Instagram story on April 24th 2023, Ariana shared a picture of her and Cynthia's matching tattoos. The actresses got the words 'for good' tattooed on the palm of their hands.
'For Good' is the name of one of the songs on the Wicked soundtrack sang by both of the witches and speaks to their strong, unexpected bond. On the red carpet at the Grammys 2022 Cynthia told E!: "When we get to sing that, it will be a very special moment for us. It's a song called 'For Good' and it's about friendship."
Clearly it was special to them and they decided to honour it with the ink. Ariana also got a tattoo of Glinda The Good Witch on the back of right hand to commemorate her role in the movie.
February 2024: Ariana and Cynthia match for the Super Bowl
Proving their friendship is still going strong, even after filming wrapped in January, the actresses came together for the biggest sporting event of the year.
The pair looked fab in matching green and pink bedazzled Louis Vuitton jerseys with the number 27 and the names Elphaba and Glinda across the back.
They both completed their look with black boots and walked into the Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium hand-in-hand. Once in the stadium, they sat with recent Grammy winner Victoria Monét.
After the even,t Ariana shared an adorable vid of them walking together with the words: "I love you, we've got each other @cynthiaerivo, here we go."
March 2024: Ariana and Cynthia present the Oscars in Wicked-themed outfits
The two co-stars made quite the impression at the 2024 Academy Awards when they were chosen to co-present the award for Best Original Song and Best Original Score together.
Ariana wore soft baby pink number in comparison to Cynthia's structured green dress, both outfits strongly alluding to their characters from Wicked.
August 2024: Ariana and Cynthia make a social post referring to one another as 'best friends'
Alongside director John M. Chu and the official Wicked and Universal Pictures Instagram accounts, Ariana and Cynthia collaborated on sharing a teaser for Wicked.
The caption read, "We’re just two friends. Two good friends. Two best friends," a nod to the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' which closes act one of the show and part one of the film.
November 2024: Ariana and Cynthia begin Wicked press tour in Sydney, Australia (Oz)
The press tour for Wicked began at the start of November and continued throughout the month which gave the two women ample time to get closer and closer to one another.
The photo call on the 3rd of November overlooking the Sydney Opera House kicked off the tour and fans got to see Ariana and Cynthia share this beautiful moment as they got ready to share their work with the world, followed by the jaw-dropping outfits the pair debuted on the 'yellow' carpet.
8th November 2024: Ariana cries after reflecting on how Cynthia changed her 'for good' in an interview
In a now legendary interview with Jake's Takes, after being asked how the two women felt they'd been changed by each other 'for good', referencing the Wicked song that will feature in part two, Ariana's thoughts made her tear up.
Upon reflecting on how Cynthia had changed her, Ariana couldn't hold back the tears that sprung from her eyes, in fact, both actors were rendered speechless as they tried to consider their answers.
Clasping each other arms in their interview chairs, Cynthia eventually managed to answer: “I think we found a little piece of ourselves in each other. I think there are little pieces of us that, when we got together to do this together, when we first started, each of us was missing a little chunk.
"And I think we've been able to see each other as a bit of a reflection, and so I think I've gotten a little bit of her softness, and she's got a little bit of my strength."
Ariana then wiped away her tears and whispered: "Truthfully, we're a bunch of cry babies over here."
21st November: Ariana and Cynthia go viral for their reaction to fans 'holding space' for 'Defying Gravity'
— masha (@MashaParty) November 21, 2024
You've been living under an absolute rock if you've not seen or at least heard about the Out interview with Cynthia and Ariana that went viral after an iconic exchange between the interviewer and Cynthia.
In the video, journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist tells Cynthia that “people are taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that, and feeling power in that.”
Whilst a majority of the population still isn't sure what 'holding space' for the lyrics of the song actually means, it seemed to have resonated with Cynthia who placed her hand to her chest as she whispered: “I didn’t know that that was happening.”
Shocked and obviously overcome by emotion, Cynthia then adds, "That’s really powerful—that’s what I wanted," and Ariana, in a gesture to support her friend, reaches out to hold her hand, but only manages to clasp a single finger.
Since the interview started circulating online, fans have made some outrageous memes that have no right to be as funny as they are.
Read more about Wicked here:
- Wicked Part 2: Release date, cast, plot spoilers, songs and news about the sequel
- Wicked fans are obsessed with Ariana Grande's huge lyric change in 'Popular'
- What happens in Wicked Part 2? A plot summary of how the musical ends
- Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say Elphaba and Glinda are queer
- When will Wicked be on streaming? How to watch the Wicked movie online
