The Wicked witches won't be divided by pay disparity rumors

You know that thing where social media and the press love to pit women against each other? The Wicked witches are doing their best to resist it, presenting an unyielding united front throughout the entire press tour for their big-budget musical moment. Somehow, the stakes have only gotten higher as the film debuted to positive reviews and immediately stirred up Oscars speculation for both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Cue the nasty rumor-mongering, like one tidbit going around about a massive disparity in the actors’ pay.

This rumor, floated in several outlets and prominently reported by the New York Post, claimed that Grande made $15 million for her role as Glinda while Cynthia only made $1 million for playing Elphaba. That would be a pretty outrageous disparity regardless, but particularly because Glinda is more of a supporting role while Elphaba is the lead. Further casting serious doubt upon this rumor was the claim, per the Post, that Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum supposedly made $2 million each for even smaller supporting roles as Madame Morrible and The Wizard, respectively. 

This rumored disparity is so egregious that it beggars disbelief—except that Grande is, of course, a pop star of international renown, and Yeoh and Goldblum are both more established talents than Erivo. Plus, if there were any truth to the rumors, it would cast a shadow over the fawning press tour in which Grande and Erivo consistently reiterated their friendship and respect and admiration for each other’s work. How could they possibly advocate for each other to win Oscars with such a rumor hanging over their heads? And so Universal Pictures was quick to shut that shit down. “Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a spokesperson told Deadline. “The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”

So, we can now continue on through awards season—and another full year or so of this press build-up ahead of Wicked: Part Two—content in the knowledge that all is right and fair in Oz. And to those who’d ground them, heed the message and stop trying to pit those two witches against each other!