Cynthia Erivo transformed from co-star to bodyguard during a shocking moment at the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore when an overzealous fan breached security and rushed towards Ariana Grande.
The Yellow Carpet Incident
The frightening episode unfolded on November 13, 2025 as Grande, Erivo, and their fellow cast member Michelle Yeoh walked arm-in-arm through a controlled fan area with barricades on both sides. According to eyewitness accounts, Grande had just greeted a supporter to her right when a young man dramatically vaulted over the barrier and charged directly at the pop superstar.
Video footage from the event captures the intruder tackling Grande in what appeared to be something between an aggressive hug and a headlock. In a remarkable display of quick thinking, Cynthia Erivo immediately intervened, physically throwing herself between them and forcefully pulling the individual away from her terrified co-star as security personnel finally closed in.
Aftermath and Social Media Fallout
Michelle Yeoh was also captured on camera turning toward Grande in visible panic as event staff roughly escorted the young man from the area. Despite appearing initially startled, Grande quickly regained her composure, continuing down the carpet with Erivo maintaining a steadying arm around her shoulders, both women looking understandably shaken.
Later that same day, the individual involved identified himself on social media as 'Pyjama Man'. Posting to his Instagram Story on November 13, the fan wrote: 'I am free after being arrested,' openly confirming his involvement in the disturbing incident. He further posted video of the encounter to his Instagram account with the caption: '@arianagrande @wickedmovie Dear Ariana Grande Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You ❤️' - a post that immediately attracted thousands of comments condemning his actions.
Additional fan footage shows the man resisting security as he's removed from the event, with the user @arisdandelions claiming on X: 'getting taken away for the second time btw. the SECOND time.'
Public Reaction and Praise for Erivo
The viral moment sparked widespread outrage and concern across social media platforms, with many viewers praising Erivo's instinctive protective response. One social media user @suayrez commented: 'Security needs to hire Cynthia she was not playing at all.'
Another user @thiscantbeyoufr agreed: 'cynthia doesn't play about ari cause why is she doing more work than the security team?!' while @TheeLieLamaa noted: 'The entitlement of "fans" is grotesque. I'm glad Cynthia Erivo and the security was there!'
User @0xkhus also commended Cynthia's actions, writing: 'Real friendship is stepping in without hesitation. Cynthia understood the assignment ?✨'
Despite the alarming disruption, the premiere continued as scheduled, and all three actresses maintained their promotional commitments for the film throughout the evening, demonstrating remarkable professionalism in the face of an unsettling security breach.
