A man has been formally charged after he breached security and grabbed pop superstar Ariana Grande during the red carpet premiere of the highly anticipated film Wicked: For Good in Singapore.
Security Breach on the Red Carpet
The incident occurred on Thursday night at Universal Studios Singapore. Video footage clearly shows 26-year-old Johnson Wen vaulting over a red carpet barricade and rushing directly towards Grande. He managed to embrace the singer and actress before being swiftly intercepted and removed from the area.
Grande's co-star, Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the musical film, demonstrated quick reflexes by immediately stepping in to help protect Grande from the intruder. The event, part of a mammoth global publicity tour for the sequel, was momentarily thrown into chaos before security personnel took control of the situation.
Legal Repercussions and Online Backlash
The Singaporean court has charged Wen with being a public nuisance. Local media reports indicate that Wen intends to plead guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of a S$2,000 fine (approximately £1,168).
Following the incident, a significant online backlash emerged. Many social media users condemned Wen's actions, labelling them a criminal offence. It was also revealed that Wen, who posts on Instagram as 'pyjamamann', has a history of invading concert stages, with past targets including major artists like Katy Perry and The Weeknd.
A History of Red Carpet Invasions
While security at high-profile events has tightened considerably in recent years, making such invasions uncommon, this is not an isolated incident in entertainment history. Notable past events include:
- In 2007, a podcaster handcuffed herself to actor Hugh Grant at a premiere.
- Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk accosted Bradley Cooper in 2014 and had previously kissed Will Smith without consent in 2012.
- Also in 2012, Kim Kardashian was flour-bombed by a Peta activist at a perfume launch.
The premiere for Wicked: For Good, which is set for release on 21 November, has been overshadowed by this security scare. However, early reactions to the film suggest it is likely to generate Oscar nomination buzz for both Grande and Erivo, with the review embargo set to lift on Tuesday.
