Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Pact: How They Ensured Equality on Wicked

Behind the Scenes: A Friendship That Redefined Collaboration on Broadway’s Biggest Adaptation

Ariana Grande left no stone unturned to ensure equality and mutual support between her and co-star Cynthia Erivo while filming Wicked. Speaking with Jessica Shaw for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Grande shared insights into the profound bond she and Erivo developed long before cameras rolled for the record-breaking adaptation of the beloved musical.

Cast in 2021, with production starting in December 2022, Grande revealed that the pair used the interim time to build trust on a deeply personal level. “During that time, we were really getting to know each other in a real human way,” Grande explained. “We talk a lot about this pact that we made to take care of each other and to be really honest with each other about anything that was to come up. But I don’t think people really get how granular we got and how fully we mean that.”

Grande’s dedication to collaboration was evident when she received her contract for the film. Instead of handling it alone, she reached out to Erivo, suggesting they go through it together to ensure their needs were aligned.

“‘Let’s go beat per beat through this together and make sure we are aligned in what we need,’” Grande recalled telling her co-star. “‘If you need something, we need it together. I want us to have each other’s backs. Your problems become my problems, and mine become yours.’”

The Don’t Look Up actress also shared how this sense of solidarity translated into meaningful actions that transcended public appearances.

“It’s impossible to really share the depths of how real that is,” she said. “We started creating that long before we ever got to set, and I think it was a really important part of the work that we did. I’m really grateful because one of the things I’m most proud of is how we nurtured each other.”

Their collaborative approach reflects in Wicked’s massive success, which became the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time when it premiered on November 22. Fans can expect the continuation of this dynamic on-screen chemistry when part two of the musical hits theaters on November 21, 2025.