Salaries before Shiz University.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have officially confirmed they got paid the same amount for “Wicked.”
“We went through our contracts together and called each other up. ‘Did you see that? What do you think about that? Let’s get it together!’” Grande, 31, said in the pair’s interview with Variety published Thursday.
Erivo, 37, recalled, “We both went through it — ‘What number are we doing? How do you feel about that?’ We were really f–king honest. And that’s really rare. People don’t do that.”
“We’re very different, but when we’re doing something like this together, her needs become my needs,” added Grande.
Erivo noted, “And her needs become mine.”
In November, it was reported that Grande was paid $15 million to star as Glinda the Good Witch in the two-part movie musical, while Erivo only got $1 million to play Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
But Universal Pictures denied the alleged $14 million pay gap.
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson for the film studio said in a statement. “The women received equal pay for their work on ‘Wicked.’”
Also in the Variety interview, the actresses discussed getting Oscar buzz for their roles in “Wicked,” with Erivo making a strong declaration about the upcoming nominations.
“I will raise hell if this lady does not get her nomination,” Erivo said about Grande.
“It’s a really f—ing hard job to jump into the middle of something like this and have it be your first time,” the British actress added.
Grande thanked Erivo and said she was “very kind.” Erivo went as far as comparing her co-star to Lucille Ball.
“She’s the return of that,” Erivo said. “And it made her heart happy to do this, which makes me happy.”
“Wicked” has been a hit with critics, with particular praise going towards Erivo and Grande’s performances.
Both actresses received nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes, which air on Sunday.
Meanwhile, nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards will be announced on Friday, January 17.
Erivo is running in the lead actress category, while Grande is running in the supporting actress category.
“I’m just honored to have been that support for Cynthia’s performance, and to be able to be a part of this,” Grande said in the Variety interview, where she also praised Erivo’s turn as the Wicked Witch.
“The supporting character, actor, friend, sister to what you have done in this film, which is otherworldly,” Grande said directly to her co-star.
“Maybe people underestimate how long we spent finding and disappearing into these women. So when certain inflections or mannerisms take time to melt away, sometimes people poke fun. But we had a job to do, and we had things to get lost in — because that’s what the piece required,” the singer went on.
“I think that might stay,” she added of her newfound timbre. “Galinda required a lot of vocal work for me. Certain things maybe won’t melt away. Some will, but I’m really grateful for the pieces that will stay with us forever. What a beautiful thing to be left with, and to feel the ghost of every day. And, you know, I’m still looking for my eyebrows. I’ll let you know if I find them — I hope I don’t.”
Erivo, for her part, has won a Tony, Emmy and Grammy. She’s just an Oscar win away from EGOT status.
“I never really know how to respond when the question of awards comes up. It’s not my raison d’être,” Erivo admitted in the Variety story.
“Do awards help for getting some space to create more? Yes, but what else can we do? I just want to continue making f—ing fabulous work and widening the aperture on what’s possible for women who look like me in film,” she said.
Grande previously confirmed that she and Erivo would “of course” love to perform together at the Oscars on March 2.
“We love singing with each other,” the pop star told The Hollywood Reporter last month. “I’ll sing together absolutely anywhere anytime, especially in celebration of Wicked.”
“And I love her, that’s my sister,” added Grande. “Say the word, and we’ll be there.”
