Cynthia Erivo addresses bizarre rumour about her relationship with Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo has publicly shut down long-running speculation that she and her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande were lovers.

The 39-year-old actress addressed a bizarre rumor in a new interview with The Stylist.

“People either thought we were putting it on for the cameras or that we were lovers,” Cynthia said.

“We’re not used to seeing it on camera, in front of people,” she added. “A relationship where people are connected sometimes just makes people uncomfortable; we aren’t taught that those relationships are good for us.”

For those unversed, Cynthia and Ariana co-starred in the two-part film adaptation of the musical fantasy film, Wicked.

Back in November, Ariana made an appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, where she revealed why she and Cynthia “like to touch each other."

The 32-year-old songstress said she likes to “channel a lot of energy through [her] hands," pointing out that she’s “always holding a hand, always squeezing something” or “always reaching for something,” with whoever is near her.

The Grammy-winning singer explained that she and Cynthia have “worked hard to maintain” the close bond.

“We’re both so busy but do our best to stay connected in that way and to take care of each other so we can honor the project as much as humanly possible,” shared Ariana.