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Home / Entertainment

Ariana Grande’s co-star turns bodyguard as fan accosts star at film premiere

NZ Herald
13 Nov, 2025 09:34 PM2 mins to read

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Cynthia Erivo (left) came to Ariana Grande's defence when she was accosted by a fan at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore.

Cynthia Erivo (left) came to Ariana Grande's defence when she was accosted by a fan at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore.

Ariana Grande’s Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo came to her defence as a fan rushed at the singer and actor.

Footage from the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore shows the fan jumping over a barricade and rushing towards Grande as she walked with co-stars Erivo and Michelle Yeoh.

The fan wrapped an arm around the 32-year-old and began jumping up and down before Erivo helped tear him off her.

Bodyguards then swarmed in and were seen taking the man away, in footage shared across social media.

Cynthia Erivo protects Ariana Grande from a ‘Wicked: For Good’ premiere attendee. pic.twitter.com/XQBeQJWZsI

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 13, 2025
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Prankster Johnson Wen, who goes by Pyjama Man online, later identified himself on social media as the offender.

“I’m free after being arrested”, he said in an Instagram story.

The influencer has made a name for himself online with similar incidents, including accosting Katy Perry and The Weeknd at concerts.

He also gained notoriety for pitch invasions at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup and Cricket World Cup finals.

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His post about his stunt in Singapore today attracted condemnation from many commenters.

“You literally assaulted her. This isn’t a flex, it’s a crime. Shame on you!” one said.

Other comments echoed that sentiment, labelling his actions as “sad”, “unlawful” and “disgusting”.

Grande and Erivo star as Glinda and Elphaba Thropp (Wicked Witch) in Wicked: For Good, the conclusion of the two-part story.

The film comes to New Zealand cinemas next Thursday.

The pair’s friendship has been well documented, with both publicly sharing praise for each other.

Speaking to the New York Times last year about her relationship with Erivo during the filming of Wicked, Grande said: “That was one of my most cherished parts of this experience: I felt held and like I had a friend every step of the way.

“I’m really proud of us for how genuinely we took care of each other throughout this whole time.”

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