Ariana Grande Wipes Tears from Cynthia Erivo’s Face During Emotional Wicked Interview Moment: ‘That’s the Point’

Ariana Grande is comforting Cynthia Erivo on the Wicked press tour.

Grande, 31, and Erivo, 37, shared an emotional moment while speaking about the new movie musical's friendship-forward themes in a video shared to Australian television series The Project's Instagram page with interviewer Georgie Tunny on Monday, Nov. 4.

In the video, Tunny told the Wicked stars that a close friend's young daughters had seen the movie already and that "at the end, they said 'You have to be good and you have to be kind to everybody, and she is a good witch,' " while discussing the movie.

"Yeah. That's the message," Grande said, to which Tunny added: "You know what I mean? It's that impact."

Erivo grew visibly emotional as she and Grande held hands and Grande began reaching toward Erivo's face to wipe away tears. "If kids can feel that, then ..." Erivo started, leaving Grande to state, "That's the point."

Erivo and Grande costar in Wicked, the first of a two-part adaptation of the hit Broadway show, as the Ozian witches Elphaba and Glinda, who are depicted as enemies in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. Much like the Broadway production, the movie serves as a prequel that displays the characters' friendship earlier in life and an eventual conflict that pulls them apart.

Grande continued to bat at Erivo's face to wipe away tears as interviewer Tunny asked them for their thoughts on "power of friendship and the power of girlhood."

“I don't think we get to share it enough. I don't think we get to talk about it as much," Erivo responded," as Grande wiped the last tears from her eyes. "I don't think we get to talk about our friendships, and how important they are to us. And they are important. Sometimes, they shape us."

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Aside from Erivo and Grande, Wicked's big-screen cast includes Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, Ethan Slater as Boq, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible.

Jon M. Chu, who previously directed the 2021 movie adaptation of In the Heights, adapted the musical for the big screen. The musical is based on the 1995 novel from Gregory Maguire, which was in turn inspired by L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels (and the 1939 Judy Garland film The Wizard of Oz). 

Wicked: Part One is in theaters Nov. 22. Part Two is slated for Nov. 26, 2025.