Wicked's Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reveal the truth about their contracts after pay gap rumors
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Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have revealed the truth about their contracts for the movie - after rumors of a pay gap between them. The pair are basking in the box office success of Wicked: Part 1, the first instalment in the two-film adaptation of the smash hit 2003 musical.
![[The pair are basking in the box office success of Wicked: Part 1, the first instalment in the two-film adaptation of the smash hit 2003 musical; pictured on set with director Jon M. Chu]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/03/02/93696563-14245857-The_pair_are_basking_in_the_box_office_success_of_Wicked_Part_1_-m-5_1735870233263.jpg)
In the run-up to the movie's release, it was trailed by a cloud of rumors that Ariana, a globally famous pop star, was paid significantly more than Cynthia. As the conjecture reached a fever pitch, Universal Pictures issued a statement in November insisting both actresses earned the same wage.
![[In a Variety cover interview, Ariana (R) and Cynthia (L) discussed how they 'took care of one another' during their emotional, much-mocked press tour for Jon M. Chu's (M) $150M-budget big-screen adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/18/93682581-14244827-image-a-1_1735844304784.jpg)
Now Cynthia and Ariana have candidly discussed the 'rare' step they took in order to ensure that they were being compensated equally. 'We went through our contracts together and called each other up. "Did you see that? What do you think about that? Let’s get it together!"' Ariana, 31, told Variety.
![[The globetrotting belters had a habit of welling up at the slightest prompting during their international premieres and press junkets like when Jake's Takes asked how they changed each other on November 8]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/19/93685505-14244827-image-a-25_1735845712895.jpg)
Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have revealed the truth about their contracts for the movie - after rumors of a pay gap between them. 'We both went through it - "What number are we doing? How do you feel about that?" We were really f***ing honest. And that’s really rare. People don’t do that,' said Cynthia, who plays the movie's lead role of Elphaba.
![[Ariana and the British 37-year-old also liberally used therapy-speak buzz words like 'holding space' in an interview with Out Magazine on November 21]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/19/93685569-14244827-image-a-21_1735845652082.jpg)
'We’re very different, but when we’re doing something like this together, her needs become my needs,' said Ariana. 'And her needs become mine,' said Cynthia. In the same interview, they discussed how they 'took care of one another' during their emotional, much-mocked press tour for Jon M. Chu's $150M-budget picture.
![[Grande (born Butera) admitted: 'We can giggle at it all we want, because we're quite funny. I've watched and had a giggle. But it is really a privilege to work and feel this way, not just as an actress in a movie but as a human being with other human beings who care']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/02/19/93685559-14244827-image-a-22_1735845659768.jpg)
