Cynthia Erivo Addresses ‘Lovers’ Speculation With Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo is finally setting the record straight. After months of online speculation surrounding her close friendship with “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande, Erivo is speaking out about the viral hand-holding, cheek-to-cheek posing, and intense bond that had fans questioning whether their relationship was more than platonic. Now, in a new interview, Cynthia Erivo is directly addressing the rumors and explaining why their connection made some people uncomfortable.

During both press tours for “Wicked” and its sequel “Wicked: For Good,” Erivo and Grande were nearly inseparable, often clasping hands and standing close during interviews and red carpet appearances.

In a new interview with Stylist, Erivo addressed the speculation head-on. “At first, I think people didn’t understand how it was possible for two women to be friends – close – and not lovers,” the London-born star told the outlet. “I’ve never really spoken about this, but there was this strange fascination with the two of us, where people either thought we were putting it on for the cameras or that we were lovers.”

Erivo acknowledged that their visible closeness may have confused some viewers, particularly because deep platonic female friendships aren’t often spotlighted in mainstream conversation. “I think it’s because there’s such little conversation around platonic female friendship that is deep and real, even though it exists everywhere. We’re not used to seeing it on camera, in front of people,” Erivo said.

She further emphasized, “A relationship where people are connected sometimes just makes people uncomfortable; we aren’t taught that those relationships are good for us.”

Erivo has previously spoken about her working relationship with Grande, offering insight into how their different personalities actually complemented each other.

“I like quiet and solitude in order to focus in, and she would need contact or just a moment of connectivity before we could begin,” she said of her costar. “I think knowing that, having no prep time, meant that we could be influenced by the elements in the best possible way.”

Grande has also addressed the now-viral hand-holding moments from the “Wicked” press tour. Speaking on the podcast “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” Grande admitted, “I do, I do. I channel a lot of energy through my hands. And so I’m always holding a hand. I’m always, like, squeezing a something, as you’ve learned. I’m always reaching for something sometimes.”

She added that she often clutches “who I’m with. Yeah, I like to channel support and energy… I didn’t even notice that it was a thing about me until that thing happened.”

During the late 2024 press tour, Grande was famously seen holding onto Erivo’s finger, a gesture that quickly went viral online. “Yeah, because I didn’t know what the f-ck was going on,” Grande admitted. “I just wanted to be supportive. I was like, oh my God. And it felt sweet. It felt beautiful. And it was beautiful,” the “Break Free” hitmaker added.

Elsewhere in her conversation with Stylist, Erivo reflected on the intense process of building complex characters and the mental space required to bring them to life.

“It takes you to a lot of different places mentally, because you have to find out who each of the characters are,” Erivo said. “Maybe one or two exist for a line or two, but every other character has a full arc of their own. So you need to find out physically who they are, mentally who they are, and vocally who they are.”

She continued, “It ends up feeling like you’re creating a bit of an orchestra; everyone has their own melody and rhythm. I’m going back to the root of what I do, finding characters and figuring out how to bring them to life. It’s not easy, because there are a lot of them, but I’m enjoying it.”

But when it comes to her relationship with Grande, Erivo is making it clear that the only thing brewing between her and Grande is friendship, not romance.