Report of pay disparity between Wicked Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who will play Elphaba and Glinda respectively in the upcoming film, have been fired by Universal Pictures. A spokesperson for the film production and distribution company clarified that these claims are “false”. Hollywood Reporter. “Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on the Internet. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked,” the spokesperson said in a statement. ‘Wicked’ Movie Review: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Make a Fun Combo in This Charming But Tired Prequel (Latest Exclusive).
Sources familiar with the production confirmed that both actresses were compensated equally for their roles in the musical film directed by Jon M. Chu. Rumors about Erivo and Grande’s salaries surfaced on TikTok and Reddit earlier this week, with social media users alleging that Grande earned $15 million for the film, while Erivo was paid $1 million. These unverified claims were picked up by several news outlets, leading to controversy. Hollywood Reporter. Wicked, Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s best-selling novel, tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Erivo plays Elphaba, while Grande plays Glinda. ‘Wicked’ star Michelle Yeoh shares her love for Indian cinema while growing up in Malaysia, saying, ‘I grew up watching a lot of Indian films.’
Winnie Holzman, the book writer for the original stage production, collaborated with Dana Fox on the script 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 includes 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. Hollywood Reporter.
