Photos! Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande cut a 'Wicked' swath around the world

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Updated 9:52 PM UTC, November 22, 2024

In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer — and on airplanes — to promote their hotly anticipated film.

The Oscars. The Met Gala. CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Premieres on both U.S. coasts and around the globe in London, Mexico City and Sydney. The two stars even appeared at the Paris Olympics, where they should really have won a gold medal for fashion.

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) — Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” exhibition in New York, May 6, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

At the Oscars in March, Erivo channeled her green-skinned character with a Louis Vuitton gown in shiny green leather. Grande evoked spritely Glinda in a bubble-gum pink concoction. Onstage, the duo presented the awards for best song and score, and Erivo managed to get in some lines from “The Wizard of Oz.” Replied Grande: “How wickedly subtle of you.”

At the Met Gala in May, the duo switched colors during a performance for the lucky dinner guests, with Grande in light green and Erivo in rose. On the carpet, Erivo wore black festooned with pink flowers, a nod to her co-star.

FILE - Ariana Grande poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Millie Turner/Invision/AP File) — Ariana Grande poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Millie Turner/Invision/AP File)

FILE -Cynthia Erivo poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Millie Turner/Invision/AP File)

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And in Paris, the two posed in front of the Eiffel Tower, with Grande in a Grace Kelly-esque light pink sleeveless dress and white gloves, and Erivo in a bright green Thom Browne gown, paired with a matching wide-brimmed hat. Her long nails — also green, of course — completed the look.

Erivo changed direction in Mexico City, choosing black to emphasize Elphaba’s roots — she is, after all, the Wicked Witch of the West — wearing a hooded Thom Browne number that looked like she’d just stepped out of an enchanted forest. Grande was ethereal in a Versace gown of very light pink.

At their stops, the two actors talked about the movie’s message of acceptance and friendship.

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande arrive at the premiere of 'Wicked' at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File) — Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande arrive at the premiere of ‘Wicked’ at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File)

FILE - Ariana Grande strikes a pose for a selfie with a fan at the premiere of 'Wicked' at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angele, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File) — Ariana Grande strikes a pose for a selfie with a fan at the premiere of ‘Wicked’ at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angele, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, right, and Ariana Grande pose for the photographers prior to the the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File) — Ariana Grande, left, Cynthia Erivo pose for the photographers prior to the the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo poses for photographers at a photo call for the film 'Wicked' on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in London. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File) — Cynthia Erivo poses for photographers at a photo call for the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 20, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

“I think it’s such a beautiful thing that pop music, pop culture, these films and art that we create, can … create a safe space for people who feel like they don’t belong,” Grande said in Los Angeles.

They also spoke about their own relationship.

“We really listen to each other,” Erivo said. “I think that’s the wonderful thing. You trust that this other person knows what they want to do with their voice, knows everything about the music that they bring to the world, so you can just make space for it.”

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande arrive at the premiere of "Wicked" on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) — Cynthia Erivo, left center, and Ariana Grande arrive at the premiere of ‘Wicked’ at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Ariana Grande poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP File) — Ariana Grande poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Wicked’ in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo arrives at the premiere of 'Wicked' at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File) — Cynthia Erivo arrives at the premiere of ‘Wicked’ at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande presents the award for best original score during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) — FILCynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande present the award for best original score during the Oscars on at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, March 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo signs autographs for fans at a photo call for the film 'Wicked' in London, Nov. 20, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP File) — Cynthia Erivo signs autographs for fans at a photo call for the film ‘Wicked’ in London, Nov. 20, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo arrives at the fourth annual Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) — Cynthia Erivo arrives at the fourth annual Academy Museum Gala at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, Oct. 19, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Wicked' on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in London. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File) — Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Wicked’ in London, Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo, introduce a trailer for the film "Wicked," during the Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentation at CinemaCon 2024, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer and on airplanes to promote their hotly anticipated film. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) — Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo, introduce a trailer for the film ‘Wicked’ during the Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentation at CinemaCon 2024, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, April 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande cut a ‘Wicked’ swath around the world