The fan who grabbed Ariana Grande at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good has been sentenced to nine days in prison.
On Friday, Johnson Wen was charged with being a public nuisance, to which he pleaded guilty. The court subsequently found him guilty, per the BBC. The incident happened just a day earlier when Wen jumped a barricade at Universal Studios Singapore, rushed toward Grande, and wrapped his arm around her as she walked the red carpet.
Clips captured Grande looking visibly shaken as Cynthia Erivo stepped in, shouting while security pulled the Australian man away.
Wen’s trial took place on Monday, where the court heard that he attempted to crash the premiere not once, but twice. After being escorted out, he reportedly tried again to climb over the barricades, prompting security to pin him down.
Wen later posted his own video of the encounter, writing, “Dear Ariana Grande Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You.” He also shared an update afterward: “I’m free after being arrested,” he wrote on his IG Story.
Prosecutors pushed for a week-long sentence, describing Wen as a “serial intruder” who “publicized his behaviour to gain popularity online.” The 26-year-old represented himself in court, telling the judge he “would not do it again.”
Although Wen received only nine days, Singapore’s public nuisance law carries a maximum of three months in jail, a fine up to S$2,000 (£1,167; $1,537), or both.
Grande has yet to respond publicly, but Erivo appeared to allude to the incident during a Screen Actors Guild viewing of Wicked on Saturday.
“And we have come through some shit. We have come through some stuff in our lives, in our daily workings,” Erivo said, per Entertainment Weekly. “I mean, fuck, even this last week. Let’s be honest, for fuck’s sakes, we’ve had to really deal with some stuff, and this movie has allowed us to really grow as people, as friends, as sisters, as artists, as actresses.”
Wen has built a reputation for crashing events, including jumping onstage with Katy Perry and The Weeknd earlier this summer. He’s reportedly been banned from several stadiums in Australia and has racked up multiple fines for his behavior.
