The Elphaba and Glinda stars held hands on the red carpet for Wicked: For Good before the film’s release on Friday, November 21st.
‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer: Elphaba Defies Gravity Again
Oscar nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will reprise their roles as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the musical sequel Wicked: For Good.
- Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande vowed to support each other on and off the red carpet.
- The ‘Wicked: For Good’ star and her friends have been dealing with brazen comments about their appearance and health.
- “We can look at each other and say, ‘Please know that I see you and all of you. No matter what condition you are in, you are so beautiful to me,'” Cynthia Erivo told USA TODAY.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande always give each other space.
The “Wicked” stars have forged a deep bond on and off screen through their harmonious performances and tearful interviews about how they changed each other for the better. However, despite their many popular works, there were also immense challenges. Last year, Oscar nominees received heavy criticism on social media for their appearances, with fans making nasty assumptions about their health.
In a recent interview about Wicked: For Good (out November 21) and her new book Simply More, Erivo said that early on she and Grande set a precedent of always supporting each other.
“That was the beginning,” Erivo told USA TODAY. “I’ve had conversations where people are talking about how we look, and we can look at each other and say, ‘Please know that I see you and all of you. No matter what condition you are in, you are so beautiful to me.'”
If Erivo does a red carpet without telling Grande, “she’ll see it and I’ll get a message from her saying, ‘By the way, you look beautiful in this.’ Then I’ll send her the same message,” the British actress said.
When Grande recently dyed her hair “this sweet, warm brown,” I immediately messaged her saying, “I love this brown, it’s so pretty.” …We just send messages to each other like it doesn’t really matter what the world says. Because what matters is how we feel about ourselves. ”
Erivo, 38, details her lifelong experiences with body shaming in Simply More, which aims to encourage readers to recognize their own worth and potential.
Ever since I was a teenager, “I’ve heard every version of what’s wrong with me,” Erivo writes. “And when you fix it, it’s wrong for a variety of reasons. … It’s hard to protect yourself from that noise.”
Unfortunately, “today’s society has made it somewhat comfortable to comment on others,” Erivo says in the book. “The way they look, what people think is going on behind the scenes, their health, or the way they present themselves. … The ease with which they speak out is really dangerous for everyone involved.”
The Poker Face star wrote that she is “lucky to have a support system” and that when it comes to negative energy from others, she “no longer invites it in.”
“Don’t let the attacker win,” Erivo concluded. “Show your beautiful self in all its glory.”
