Cynthia Erivo Protected Her Voice at the New York Wicked Premiere

Glinda and Elphaba are best friends, and that means taking care of each other under any circumstances. After Cynthia Erivo protected Ariana Grande against a man who jumped the barricade at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore last week, Grande is repaying her by helping protect her voice. Shortly before the New York Wicked premiere started on November 17, it was reported that Erivo would not be doing any interviews on the carpet because she lost her voice, and Grande would be bowing out from interviews as well in solidarity. But the show must go on, and despite the warning, Grande still spoke to some press. “I’m not letting her speak; she has to rest her voice,” Grande told E! News on the red carpet with Erivo nodding along next to her. Glinda acted almost like her publicist, making sure to name-drop Erivo’s book and solo album while Elphie was smiling and smizing throughout the conversation.

Despite her best efforts to listen quietly, Erivo did eventually give herself a chance to speak, getting her point across in as little words as possible. “It’s really beautiful that we’re finishing here [in New York] where it started,” she quietly whispered just after trying to tell Grande to pass along the message. Thankfully, Erivo is recovering well after an international press tour full of public nuisances and found hats. “There’s only so much the human body can endure,” Grande concluded.