Ariana Grande Responds To “Most Offensive” Fan-Made ‘Wicked’ Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Ariana Grande said artificial intelligence (AI) was “troublesome” and agreed that some of its use could go “too far.” The pop star’s recent take on AI comes after her Wicked co-star, Cynthia Erivo, was the victim of “degrading” memes and the center of offensive fan-edited posters of the musical.

Taking to the red carpet at the Academy Museum Gala on Saturday (October 19) in Los Angeles, USA, Ariana, who plays Glinda, opened up about Cynthia slamming the AI-generated Wicked posters.

Highlights

Ariana Grande calls AI 'troublesome' and admits its use can go 'too far.'
Cynthia Erivo was targeted by offensive AI-generated Wicked posters.
Ariana emphasizes respect and admiration for Wicked co-star Cynthia.
Cynthia labels fan-edit of Wicked poster 'degrading' and offensive.

She told Variety: “I think it’s very complicated because I find AI so conflicting and troublesome sometimes, but I think it’s just kind of such a massive adjustment period.

“This is something that is so much bigger than us, and the fans are gonna have fun and make their edits.”

Ariana Grande said artificial intelligence (AI) was “troublesome” and agreed that some of its use could go “too far”

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: Entertainment Tonight

Upon being suggested by Variety that “sometimes things can go too far,” the 31-year-old songstress responded: “I think so. And I have so much respect for my sister, Cynthia, and I love her so much.

“It’s just a big adjustment period. It’s so much stimulation about something that’s so much bigger than us.”

Ariana went on to emphasize her closeness to Cynthia, stating: “I love being in the studio with her, even just as like a fly on the wall, hearing what she’s working on and having her there when I’m working.”

**Her recent take on AI comes after her Wicked co-star, Cynthia Erivo, was the victim of offensive fan-edited posters of the musical**

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: Variety

@varietymagazine Ariana Grande on artificial intelligence and the #Wicked ♬ original sound – Variety

“I think we are stuck with each other, professionally and personally for the rest of our lives.”

She concluded by saying that she would “absolutely” record original music with Cynthia in the future.

Cynthia recently voiced her outrage over a viral fan-made edit of her and Ariana that replicated a classic Broadway play poster of Wicked.

Taking to the red carpet at the Academy Museum Gala on October 19 in Los Angeles, USA, Ariana, who plays Glinda, opened up

@ferlozar much better 🤩 #wicked #wickedthemusical #wickedmovie #arianagrande #defyinggravity #elphaba #wickedwitch #cynthiaerivo #photoshop ♬ Popular – From “Wicked” Original Broadway Cast Recording/2003 – Kristin Chenoweth

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo get into a tussle on set on WICKED pic.twitter.com/i4nKXusOTO
— ☀️ (@AG7Source) October 13, 2024

The 37-year-old, who portrays the witch Elphaba in the upcoming movie version of the story set to be released on November 22, labeled the tribute as “degrading” on October 16.

“This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that AI of [me and Ariana] fighting, equal to people posing the question ‘is your ***** skin green,’” Cynthia wrote at the time.

The actress took particular offense at the fan poster featuring an image of her facing the camera and covering her eyes below her witch hat, seemingly done to make her resemble the iconic Wicked Broadway play poster, as Bored Panda previously reported.

Cynthia recently voiced her outrage over a viral fan-made edit of her and Ariana

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: cynthiaerivo

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: cynthiaerivo

“The original poster is an illustration, but I’m a real human being,” Cynthia explained. “I chose to look down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer. Our poster is an homage, not an imitation. To edit my face is to erase me.”

The Tony Award winner also called out other Wicked memes that have circulated online, including one that made a crude joke about Elphaba’s anatomy, as CNN reported on October 16.

In the same Instagram story, Cynthia wrote: “None of this is funny. None of this is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.”

Cynthia labeled the tribute as “degrading” on October 16

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: cynthiaerivo/Alternative_Quote684

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

Image credits: Universal Pictures

The film adaptation of Wicked, starring Cynthia, Ariana, Ethan Slater, and Bowen Yang, is set to bring the beloved stage musical to the big screen.

After captivating audiences for two decades as one of the most popular musicals, Wicked will debut as a spectacular, generation-defining two-part cinematic event this holiday season, as its synopsis reads on IMDb.

Ariana’s response left viewers divided

Ariana Grande Responds To "Most Offensive" Fan-Made 'Wicked' Poster Slammed By Cynthia Erivo

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I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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What do you think ?

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The_Nicest_Misanthrope 8 hours ago

Really don't see how the poster is so offensive. It's just an homage to the musical? Totally overreacting

5points

Alistair .Brownlee 5 hours ago

It's got nothing to do with the subject matter of the image. Whether it was made to look closer to the theatrical poster isn't the point. She found it offensive because it was AI generated. Actors are very against having themselves replaced by AI, it's one of the main reasons the last round of actors strikes happened.

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tori Ohno 7 hours ago

What's so "offensive" about it? Her eyes are covered up? Am I missing something new here that the "woke" people in this world made up so they can be mad at someone? Please explain the offense. Or is this self righteous anger just an attention grab?

1point

Philybeef 2 hours ago

I already wasn't interested in this movie, now I know for sure to avoid this movie and anything else Cynthia Erivo is involved in. Btw, according to the person who made the edit it was done with Photoshop, not AI. It doesn't matter anyway since it's a silly fan edit.

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