Wicked stars’ bizarre new interview mocked mercilessly

Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s endless global publicity tour seems to have broken the brains of everyone involved.

As the Wicked global publicity tour enters what feels like its eighth month, you could forgive all involved for feeling a little delirious.

But a bizarre snippet from one of the film’s stars endless junket encounters is going viral online, as it seems to mark the zenith of all Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s touchy, feely, teary joint interviews about the film to date.

Unless you’ve been in a coma for the past few weeks, you will have seen the two stars at some point, fielding questions about their film from one journalist or another, usually with the same air of glassy-eyed gratitude about how lucky they are to have experienced Wicked together:

Wasn’t alive to see the wizard of oz in theaters but alive to see Wicked in theaters pic.twitter.com/rax0JjtB33

— 💫 (@heyjaeee) November 18, 2024

But this snippet from a new interview, with journalist Tracey E. Gilchrist from Out.com, seems to have broken the brains of those online who were already suffering from overly earnest Wicked press tour exhaustion.

Gilchrist asked Erivo about her big showstopping number in the film, Defying Gravity, a song that’s had a dedicated fanbase since the musical premiered on Broadway back in 2003.

Tracey: “I’ve seen, this week people are taking the lyrics of Defying Gravity and really holding space with that, and feeling power in that.”

Cynthia: “Uh … I didn’t know that that was happening.”

Tracey: “I’ve seen it, yeah.”

Cynthia: “That’s … really powerful.”

Tracey: “Mmm-hmm.”

Cynthia: “That’s … what I wanted. I didn’t know that was happening …?”

Tracy: “I’ve seen it on a couple posts, I don’t know how widespread – but you know, I am in queer media, so …”

Ariana and Cynthia play ‘pull my finger’.

All three are visibly moved by what they’re discussing – which, upon closer inspection, doesn’t seem to be much of anything at all.

Erivo appears to be on the verge of tears that people on “a couple posts” are “really holding space and feeling power” with the lyrics of one of the most famous songs in musical theatre.

And Grande watches on, and bizarrely holds a single one of her co-star’s fingers for emotional support.

A mournful violin version of Defying Gravity played over the clip just adds the effect, is if to let you know: You are watching something deeply profound.

The whole encounter is so strange, one wag on X wondered if there might have been a gas leak in the room.

The clip has absolutely caught fire on social media, where the clip itself has been viewed almost 30 million times on X and where “taking space with the lyrics of Defying Gravity” has now definitely spread beyond “a couple posts”:

anyone up taking the lyrics to defying gravity and really holding space with that and feeling power in that?

— sarah hagi (@KindaHagi) November 22, 2024

hey guys, just wanted to warn you that this week people are taking the lyrics to defining gravity and holding space with that. ive only seen a couple of posts (I work in queer media) but wanted to give you a heads up. stay safe out there 💚🩷

— sandy (@sandyhonig) November 22, 2024

if i'm holding space with the lyrics of defying gravity, and you're in queer media, then who the hell is holding this finger

— bald ann dowd (@ali_sivi) November 22, 2024

https://t.co/aqRoP7myAlpic.twitter.com/DQgRVEncTc

— wiLL (@willfulchaos) November 22, 2024

cynthia learning this week people are taking the lyrics of defying gravity and really holding space with that https://t.co/IrZHeQlt0rpic.twitter.com/kM56syogXH

— sheriff harry s. truman (@ThisIsConner) November 22, 2024

I can't tell what my favorite part of this video is: the solemnity in announcing people have been "holding space" for the lyrics of a 20 year old song, Cynthia acting like she personally wrote it, Ariana holding onto Cynthia's index finger, or the reveal of "a couple of posts" https://t.co/eDDUNcvaRn

— maya 🦇 (@irish_goodbi) November 22, 2024

watching this makes me feel like im huffing gasoline its so surreal like why is ariana holding her singular finger like that. what does holding space for the lyrics mean. “thats exactly what i wanted” you didnt write the damn musical and its been out for years https://t.co/cWP8q6753p

— breakfast (@ouchowwie) November 21, 2024

Not now sweetie mommy is taking the lyrics of Defying Gravity and really holding space with that and feeling power in that pic.twitter.com/Srxh9xn4yH

— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) November 22, 2024

The Jon M. Chu-directed blockbuster finally hit cinemas this week, more than 20 years after the musical debuted on Broadway and after years of development and false starts to bring it to the big screen.

But those fronting up to watch the movie should be warned: Despite its mammoth runtime (two hours and forty minutes), Wicked actually only depicts the first act of the musical, with a sequel to follow in a year’s time.

This film stops at the end of act one, ending on a cliffhanger as Erivo’s character Elphaba makes her transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West.

But despite this, the film works as a stand-alone story, and doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve been thrust out halfway to take the world’s longest theatre loo break.

Originally published as Wicked stars’ bizarre new interview mocked mercilessly