Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo‘s Wicked press tour has been one for the books.
The duo – who portray Glinda and Elphaba in the onscreen adaption of the beloved Broadway show, respectively – have notably grown emotional while discussing their special connection in the film, which hit theaters in November 2024.
“I think we found a little piece of ourselves in each other,” Erivo said while holding the hand of a crying Grande during an interview on “Jake’s Takes” earlier that same month. “I think there are little pieces of us that, when we got together to do this together, when we first started, each of us was missing a little chunk.”
She continued, “And I think we’ve been able to see in each other a bit of a reflection, and so I think I’ve gotten a little bit of her softness, and she’s got a little bit of my strength.”
Grande hilariously added through tears: “Truthfully … we’re a bunch of little cry babies over here.”
Keep reading for Grande and Erivo’s emotional quotes about Wicked – and each other:
Letting It All Out
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight in November 2024, Grande and Erivo addressed why they’ve been so emotional about their film.
“We’re trying our best, but there are a lot of emotional things that happened, and we’re just going with it,” Erivo said into the camera, to which Grande added, “You have to understand, it’s been like, three years, people! There’s a lot going on … Why does emotional availability scare you so? It’s out of happiness and joy.”
Nabbing the Roles
In a video montage shared by ET, both Grande and Erivo could be seen getting emotional after director Jon M. Chu told them they landed their respective roles.
“I love her so much. I’m going to take such good care of her, thank you!” Grande gushed while sobbing.
Grateful
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
While addressing the crowd at a premiere in November 2024, Grande and Erivo held back tears as they thanked fans for their support.
“We’re both, like, shaking in our boots over here,” said Erivo. “Because it’s incredible to see everyone here right now. [It’s] just so wild. This means the world to us.”
Grande added, “It’s very moving. It’s really emotional. We’re really grateful to see you all.”
Reliving Filming
During an interview on Heart Breakfast in November 2024, radio host Amanda Holden jokingly told Erivo and Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey, “This movie should be sponsored by Kleenex. Every interview I’ve read, Cynthia, of you and Ariana, it just says that you end up in tears all the time.”
“I think it’s because people have come in with such energy, and their responses, their emotional responses, come into the room with them,” Erivo explained. “This is the first time we’ve been able to really, like, talk about it so I think that we’re both sort of reliving and rehashing all the things that we’ve been through and the journey we’ve been on. So we can’t help people get very emotional.”
Soulmates
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Neil Mockford/WireImage
Grande’s boyfriend and Wicked costar, Ethan Slater, called the two-time Grammy winner and Erivo “soulmates” in a November 2024 interview with TODAY.com.
“They’re so funny,” he told the outlet. “They’re both like, after a full day of junkets, ‘Well, we cried 100 times again. Everyone must be getting so annoyed.’ But I think it comes from a really genuine place.”
He added, “I think it’s an emotional process to dive into characters who go through such a journey. It’s been a really long and intense process. When you do that, you really bond with the people you’re around … Their friendship is really real and really deep and really informed by the work that they did together. I think they’re getting to talk about [it] and getting to reflect on it while they’re still in the midst of it.”
Tears Galore
While speaking to Today‘s Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie in an interview that aired in November 2024, Grande and Erivo candidly spoke about their Wicked tears.
“We’ve definitely cried through interviews,” Erivo said, to which Grande added, “Yes, we’re sorry. Much to the annoyance of many.”
“We can’t help it really, it just happens. … It’s been such a long journey,” Erivo continued. “For both of us, it’s a huge dream come true.”