The powerhouse duo of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo teamed up to ensure equal paychecks for their leading roles in ‘Wicked.’
Joining forces with director Jon M. Chu for Variety’s latest cover story, they shut down rumors that Grande pulled in more cash than Erivo.
The stars kept it transparent with each other, as Grande spilled: “We went through our contracts together and hit each other up like, ‘Hey, did you catch that? What’s your take? Let’s get on the same page!'”
A Universal Studios rep stepped in last November to squash the buzz going around, telling The Hollywood Reporter that claims of Grande banking $15 million while Erivo got just $1 million were way off base.
“The internet gossip about Cynthia and Ariana’s different paychecks is total nonsense. Both stars earned equal pay for their work in ‘Wicked,'” the spokesperson made clear.
Erivo revealed to Variety her collaborative approach with Grande on contract negotiations. “We dove into the details together – ‘What’s your number? How do you feel about it?’ We kept it real,” she shared. “That kind of transparency is pretty uncommon in this business.”
Grande chimed in about their partnership: “Though we’re totally different people, when we take on a project like this together, I look out for her interests like they’re my own.” Erivo quickly added, “And I do the same for her.”
‘Wicked’ proved to be box office gold, pulling in a massive $164 million during its opening weekend. Fans won’t have to wait long for more – part two hits theaters this November.
