‘Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false’: Universal sets the record straight on ‘Wicked’ compensation

Wicked is finally here, and leading the cast in this historic Broadway adaption are Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Both of these talented actors have put in the work, not just making the film side by side but also on the press circuit together, which makes the rumors of pay disparity extremely disappointing.

Rumors circulating social media over the past week, seemingly stemming from Reddit, have suggested that the pop star Grande was paid $15 million for her involvement with the film, while co-star Erivo only got $1 million for hers. Of course, this just doesn’t sound right, and in an unusual move, Universal Pictures has come out with a statement on the rumors.

In a statement shared with Deadline, Universal confirmed that the rumors are false, and shared further insight into how the film’s two lead actors were paid.

“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”

While unusual, it’s great to see Universal engage with the lies being spread online, and even better to find out that both women were fairly compensated for their participation in the production. Of course, what exactly they were both paid is still unknown, but that’s how it should be.

Wicked might not have reached the opening weekend heights that some expected but the film has already taken in a whopping $112.5 million at the domestic box office, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Thanks to international audiences the movie has made $180 million so far, which is close to recouping the movie’s budget which is said to have been around $350 million for not just Wicked, but also its sequel which is set to be released in 2025.

Forget the numbers, Wicked is also excelling when it comes to critical reception. Almost every review filed by audiences on Rotten Tomatoes has been positive, landing the movie a 96% score to partner with its similarly impressive 90% audience score. Even our review shined a light on this incredible Broadway adaption, which is shaping up to be one of the best films of the year.

Wicked is going to be making headlines for quite some time, and the best part is that it will probably do it all over again in November of 2025, when Wicked Part Two gets set to arrive in theaters. For now, if you haven’t yet caught the first film, tickets are available to catch it in theaters at all of the usual places.