Cynthia Erivo is addressing the ongoing rumors linking her romantically to Ariana Grande.
In a recent interview with Stylist, Erivo confronted the speculation directly, shutting down claims about their so-called “relationship” and making it clear that they are simply very close friends.
“At fist, I think people didn’t understand how it was possible for two women to be friends—close—and not lovers,” she said. “I’ve never really spoken about this, but there was this strange fascination with the two of us, where people either thought we were putting it on for the cameras or that we were lovers.”
Erivo suggested that the gossip may stem from the lack of open conversations about deep, platonic friendships between women.
“There’s such little conversation around platonic female friendship that is deep and real, even though it exists everywhere,” she explained.
“We’re not used to seeing it on camera, in front of people,” Erivo continued. “A relationship where people are connected sometimes just makes people uncomfortable; we aren’t taught that those relationships are good for us.”
Their bond became a hot topic among fans following their starring roles in Wicked and Wicked: For Good. Erivo has also been openly protective of Grande — including stepping in when an overenthusiastic fan grabbed Grande at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good.
Reflecting on that moment during an appearance on the Today show in November, Erivo shared what was going through her mind.
“I was really thinking, ‘I just wanted to make sure my friend was safe,’ you know?” she said. “I’m sure he didn’t mean us harm, but you never know with those things, and I wanted to make sure that she was OK. That was my first instinct.”
In that same conversation, Erivo described their connection as a “long-lasting friendship.”
“We’re kind of like sisters at this moment in time, you know? And I think we’ve both learned from each other and given each other some really, really beautiful gifts,” she added. “We’ve really looked after each other through this.”
