Cynthia Erivo Says Her Close Bond With Ariana Grande Was a 'Double-Edged Sword'

Cynthia Erivo On Ariana Grande Our Close Bond Is 'Double-Edged Sword' Published October 29, 2026 6:51 AM PDT Cynthia Erivo is finally addressing all the negative gossip over her off-screen relationship with Ariana Grande ... calling their friendship a "double-edged sword." The actress sat down for an interview with The Guardian and, at one point, she discussed her close bond with Ariana that formed as the two did press tours for their 2024 and 2025 movies, "Wicked" and "Wicked: For Good." Cynthia said she found it interesting that many people became amateur psychologists studying the actresses' relationship from their couches. She felt that it was weird those people were "annoyed" that "two women could actually be friends." She also said people questioned whether their emotional bond was real and couldn't understand why they were crying and laughing together and being "emotive" and "alive." Cynthia characterized the overall response from these people as a "double-edged sword," saying that "if we were dead behind the eyes and showing no emotion, there would have been something else to say about it." She added that it would have been helpful if both stars had been instructed on how to properly balance their emotional expression. Related articles Cynthia Erivo Ariana Grande Movie Stars Celebrity News Musicians Relationships Viral Wicked