People have spotted “clues” that Wicked’s most talked about celebs, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are feuding, so here’s where they stand now.
During the press tours for both Wicked and Wicked: For Good, they were everywhere together. They cried during interviews and constantly touched hands. They praised each other in emotional speeches. At one point, Ariana grabbing Cynthia’s finger during an interview went viral. They even got matching tattoos.
Insiders told the Daily Mail, Cynthia took on a “big sister” role, with one source saying she was “super protective” of Ariana and checked in on her constantly during a difficult period. Basically, the internet ate it up.
just ariana coughing and cynthia rubbing her back
that’s her babygirl pic.twitter.com/2f9sz2mv1G
— gelphie’s broom swing
(@cynthianas3rd) February 9, 2025
But, over the past few weeks, loads of clues have popped up suggesting that Ariana and Cynthia’s once-intense bond may have fizzled out. Some people think they’ve fallen out. Others believe it was never that deep to begin with. And a few reckon they’ve simply needed space after an exhausting press tour.
So, here’s a breakdown of all the clues people spotted that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are feuding, how the rumours started, and where they seem to stand now.
The blind item that kicked off feud rumours
A blind item appeared on celebrity gossip site Crazy Days and Nights, claiming that an “A-list actress/singer” and her “A-list co-star” were no longer speaking, which would make “awards season awkward”.
No names were mentioned, but people immediately assumed it was about Ariana and Cynthia, especially since Wicked: For Good was right in the middle of awards season. From that point on, people started scrutinising everything.
The birthday post that never came
Ariana Grande shares a sweet birthday message for Cynthia Erivo on her Instagram story
pic.twitter.com/dFPbc0PLxd
— Wicked Movie Updates (@wickedupdate) January 8, 2024
One of the biggest “clues” people latched onto was Cynthia Erivo’s birthday on 8 January.
In previous years, Ariana had posted long, emotional Instagram tributes calling Cynthia her soulmate and expressing deep gratitude for their journey together. This year, there was nothing.
“For the first time in years, Ariana didn’t post anything,” one person on Reddit wrote. “Especially considering the speeches they used to write for each other.”
For many, that was the moment they became convinced something was wrong.
They spent the awards season apart
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Ariana began attending major awards events alone, which didn’t help the rumours that they are feuding. She walked the Golden Globes red carpet without Cynthia and without her boyfriend Ethan Slater, attending instead with longtime friend Doug Middlebrook. She also appeared solo at the Critics Choice Awards.
At the same time, Cynthia was noticeably less present alongside Ariana than during earlier press tours, which people found strange given how attached they’d previously been.
Despite the rumours, Ariana publicly praised Cynthia in January after Erivo was snubbed by the Actor Awards. Speaking with Variety, Ariana said, “The impact of his work and Cynthia’s Elphaba is undeniable… That can’t be taken away.”
She added that Cynthia “deserved all the flowers this world can grow”, insisting that none of her success exists “in isolation”.
So, are they actually feuding? And where do they stand now?
via Stuart Hardy/ABACAPRESS.COM/Shutterstock
A source told the Daily Mail that Ariana was intentionally stepping back from Cynthia after the intense Wicked promotion. Apparently, they simply needed space after being together constantly for weeks on end.
One insider explained, “Their relationship was purely professional, and they’re moving in totally different directions career-wise. They text and have phone calls all of the time, but when they’re not filming or on a press tour together they often don’t have time to hang out like regular friends.”
Basically, there’s no evidence of an actual fallout. No shady comments, no unfollowing, and no public tension. It seems like, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are not feuding in a dramatic way. But they’re also clearly not as close as they once appeared.
They’ve finished promoting Wicked. They’ve gone back to their own lives, cities, and priorities. And whatever bond they had during that intense period seems to have naturally cooled.
As one source said, “It’s not something that has been spoken, it has just been organic. It’s not dramatic. It’s still all love.”
Basically, it looks less like a blow-up and more like two people stepping out of a very specific, very emotional chapter.
Quite shocking considering it’s them, but we move.
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