Ariana Grande has finally opened up about the physical intimacy she shares with Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo.
Fans have noticed the pair’s closeness
Grande, 32, and Erivo, 38, have been quite physically close, which fans have noticed since the first press tour of Wicked in 2024.
Their closeness raised eyebrows among fans and even reached meme status after one notable interaction.
The moment went viral online
The pair’s touchy-feely relationship went particularly viral after a moment where Erivo got emotional when she was told that fans were ‘holding space’ for some of the musical’s songs, and Grande grabbed one of Erivo’s fingers in support.
Grande has now explained their intimacy
The co-stars’ closeness remains as strong as ever as they’re currently doing the press tour for the musical’s sequel, Wicked: For Good, which is set to come out on November 21.
Now, speaking on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast on Tuesday, November 18, Grande has explained their relationship.
The singer said it was part of their success
Grande explained to Poehler that intimacy was an important part of her and Erivo’s success on screen.
The singer and actress said that she wanted ‘to be safe in each other, with their emotional and physical closeness’ and to keep them ‘as connected as much as possible, every step of the way’.
Grande was the one to initiate it
The singer also revealed that the intimacy was instigated by her, recalling how she told Erivo, “Hey, we’re getting to know each other, we’re gonna learn a lot about each other very quickly, I want you to know there’s nothing that we can’t talk about.”
Poehler then asked about their intimacy
The host and comedian then asked about Grande and Erivo’s well-known intimacy, saying in between giggles, “You guys just physically checked in, it’s really sweet how you touch each other.”
“You like to touch, in a non sexual way, in a loving way, like supporting each other. You like to hold each others hands, its very sweet.”
Grande then explained why
Explaining her intimate approach, Grande said, “I channel a lot of energy through my hands, and so I’m always holding a hand, I’m always squeezing something.”
She also explained that such attitude is dependent on ‘who I’m with’.
RELATED STORIES
The singer acknowledged the meme
Mentioning the viral finger-holding meme, Grande admitted, “I like to channel support and energy… I didn’t even notice it was a thing until that thing happened,” as she had grabbed one of Erivo’s fingers after she started getting emotional.
She wasn’t aware she was doing it
“I didn’t know what the f**k was going on,” the singer admitted.
“I knew it was tender and sincere and beautiful, and I just wanted to be supportive. It felt sweet, it felt beautiful, and it was beautiful,” she added.
