Ariana Grande has broken silence on the controversy surrounding fan-made edits of her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo.
The controversy ignited when a fan altered a promotional poster using AI and obscured Erivo’s face under Elphaba’s witch hat, reminiscent of the original Broadway artwork.
Erivo described the edit as “offensive” and “deeply hurtful,” and said that it diminishes her identity as a real person rather than just a character.
In a recent interview with Variety at the Academy Museum Gala, the pop singer addressed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative expressions.
“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.”
When asked if things can sometimes go “too far,” Grande acknowledged that they can.
“I think so. I have so much respect for my sister, Cynthia, and I love her so much.”
She continued: “It’s just a big adjustment period.”
“It’s so much stimulation about something that’s so much bigger than us.”
Meanwhile, Erivo recently spoke out about fan-made edits of the movie’s official poster circulating on social media.
One particular edit, meant to reference the original Broadway art, covered Erivo’s eyes with the brim of her witch hat.
Erivo criticized the edit as “offensive” and also addressed AI-generated animations showing the witches fighting, along with inappropriate memes that have surfaced online.
She said, “None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us. The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION.
“I am a real-life human being, who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer… because, without words, we communicate with our eyes.
“Our poster is a homage, not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”
The upcoming Wicked is a two-part adaptation of the Wizard of Oz prequel.
The plot focuses on the events of the musical’s first act, following green-skinned Elphaba during her time at Shiz University.
It explores the beginnings of her journey toward becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, while also sharing her unexpected friendship and eventual rivalry with a classmate who later becomes Glinda the Good.
Wicked is set to hit theatres on November 22, 2024.
