Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Got Paid Equally for ‘Wicked,’ Universal Calls Pay Disparity Rumors ‘Completely False’
by Rebecca Rubin · Variety“Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were paid the same amount for leading the movie musical, Universal Pictures said in a rare statement on the matter to dispel online rumors about salary discrepancies.
False stories about Grande and Erivo’s compensation for “Wicked” circulated over the weekend as outlets like the New York Post reported on unsubstantiated claims by TikTok and Reddit users that Grande earned $15 million to play Glinda the Good while Erivo was paid $1 million to portray Elphaba a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West.
“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson for Universal said in a statement. “The women received equal pay for their work on ‘Wicked.'”
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