Cynthia Erivo has broken her silence after rushing to protect Ariana Grande during a shocking red carpet incident at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good on November 13.
Video footage showed a fan sprinting toward Grande before Erivo intervened, shielding her co-star while security removed the man. In recent comments, Erivo revealed that her instinct was to ensure Grande’s safety at the time, so she acted quickly.
Erivo acted immediately to protect Grande on the yellow brick road-themed carpet
Image credits: Getty/Samir Hussein
The shocking moment unfolded as Grande walked the Singapore red carpet premiere of Wicked: For Good alongside Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Goldblum at Universal Studios Singapore.
As the group was walking, a man, later identified as Johnson Wen, leapt over a barricade and grabbed Grande by the shoulders.
Image credits: Getty/Samir Hussein
Erivo, who portrays Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, quickly stepped between her co-star and the fan, pushing him away to ensure Grande was unharmed.
Footage of the event seemed to show Erivo telling Wen, “Let go of her!”
Image credits: Getty/Suhaimi Abdullah
Yeoh and Erivo were then seen comforting Grande while security escorted the man out of the venue. Grande, for her part, looked visibly shaken by the incident.
Reflecting on the incident during her Today show appearance on November 20, Erivo said, “I was really thinking, I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe,” she said.
@bellephai13 Someone freaking attacked Ariana on the yellow carpet!!!! 🤬😡 #wickedforgood #wicked #singapore #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound – belle phai
“I’m sure he didn’t mean us harm, but I just, you never know with those things, and I wanted to make sure that she was okay. That was my first instinct,” she added.
Fans lauded Erivo for her protective instincts towards her co-star. “It’s wonderful and affirming to see these stories and be reminded that decency can win,” one comment wrote.
Image credits: TODAY
Others also commented on Erivo’s kind perception of Wen. “’I’m sure he didn’t mean us any harm.’ Cynthia, you sweet woman… He definitely meant harm,” another wrote.
The attacker has a history of celebrity disruptions and faces consequences
Image credits: buffys
The man, Johnson Wen, known online as Pyjama Man, has a record of crashing celebrity events, including previous stunts involving Katy Perry, The Weeknd, and The Chainsmokers.
Wen posted a video from the Singapore incident on Instagram, captioned, “Dear Ariana Grande Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You.”
Image credits: SALLY
Shortly after, Wen posted again, noting he was free following his arrest. According to The New York Times, Wen was charged with being a public nuisance and sentenced to nine days in jail.
The incident was particularly troubling for Ariana Grande fans as the award-winning singer has previously spoken about experiencing PTSD following the 2017 attack at her Manchester concert, which took the lives of 22 people.
Image credits: Getty/Bruce Glikas
In a 2018 interview with British Vogue, she reflected on the aftermath of the tragic incident.
“Yeah, it’s a real thing. I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well.
“It’s hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss … I feel like I shouldn’t even be talking about my own experience, like I shouldn’t even say anything.
“I don’t think I’ll ever know how to talk about it and not cry,” Grande said.
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Ariana Grande recently revealed that she has COVID days after Cynthia Erivo fell ill amid Wicked: For Good’s setback-filled press tour
Image credits: Getty/Kevin Mazur
Ariana Grande also recently confirmed that she tested positive for COVID-19 as the Wicked: For Good press tour wound down, according to People magazine.
On November 20, the 32-year-old singer and actress shared an Instagram Stories photo from her recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, captioning it, “moments before Covid.”
Image credits: NBC
The post came shortly after Variety reported that Grande would withdraw from her planned appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show and miss upcoming Q&A panels for the film, though her co-star Cynthia Erivo will still appear.
The announcement followed closely on the heels of Erivo skipping most press interviews at the New York City premiere after Universal Pictures said she was “not feeling well” and had lost her voice.
Image credits: arianagrande
Both women briefly posed for red carpet photos and took part in a short livestream, though Grande joked about not letting Erivo speak.
Erivo later did offer a short comment, though fans noticed that she had a hoarse voice.
Image credits: arianagrande
Numerous fans expressed their concerns for Grande’s health. “Was afraid of that….her and Cynthia have been sounding ick for a while now. Hopefully, it’s mild and she will recover soon,” one commenter wrote.
“Hope she’ll be ok, it can be mild for most but devastating or deadly for others,” another noted.
Netizens shared their thoughts on Cynthia Erivo’s comments about protecting Ariana Grande on social media
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