Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's 'Wicked' salaries spark debate

The rumored salaries of the Wicked cast have taken social media by storm, sparking heated debate over a surprising pay gap between its two leading stars.

According to an alleged salary breakdown making the rounds online, Cynthia Erivo, who stars as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, reportedly earned $1 million for her role. 

In contrast, Ariana, portraying Glinda the Good Witch, is rumored to have taken home an eye-watering $15 million—over ten times more than her co-star.

The pop superstar's alleged payday reflects her massive star power, as Wicked has already shattered records for opening weekend numbers among Broadway-to-screen adaptations.

Other major players in the musical film, Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible) and Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), are said to have earned $2 million each, adding further intrigue to the cast's pay structure. 

With discussions about fairness and industry norms swirling, the viral rumors have only heightened anticipation for the movie's release.

The list suggests Jonathan Bailey, who plays Prince Fiyero, reportedly earned $450,000, while Ethan Slater, portraying Boq (and known for his off-screen romance with Ariana Grande), earned $350,000. 

Marissa Bode and Bowen Yang, also part of the main cast, are rumored to have received $250,000 each.

A viral tweet on X, amassing over 11 million views and nearly 120,000 likes, read: "Ariana getting paid over $10M more than Cynthia doesn't sit right with me."

Others echoed similar sentiments, calling the alleged salary disparity "diabolical" and "unfair." 

"Actor salaries aren’t based on talent but on who will bring audiences to the movie," one user noted.