Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Ariana Grande, Entertainment, Movies
Marissa Dow
Everyone’s favorite Floridian triple threat, Ariana Grande-Butera, is no stranger to making a pretty penny. She’s been hustling in these Hollywood streets since she was a high-pitched pre-teen, which has expanded from acting to starring as America’s pop princess to launching a multifaceted beauty business. All that being said, I expected her Wicked paycheck would reflect her star power (esp considering all that Glindafied merch). I didn’t expect that check to be bigger than Cynthia Erivo’s. Why? Cynthia is an Oscar-nominated actress for one and because Elphaba is technically the ranking lead of Wicked, despite the film (and original musical) being a two-hander. It’s Elphaba’s character arc that viewers follow to Oz and back, and Elphaba’s character gets the biggest musical moments. That’s why an internet rumor that Ariana was making 15 times as much as her co-star baffled me, and I was not alone. Did Ariana Grande make more money than Cynthia Erivo? The final answer is in.
Image Credit: Getty Imagescynthia ariana wicked
No, the two actresses were paid equally for Wicked. Universal Studios made it crystal clear there was no pay disparity after the Reddit conspiracy theory found its way to Twitter and TikTok. IDK where those rumors were dreamed up, but if such an egregious pay disparity was in the mix, best believe in post Me Too 2024 two powerful actresses (let alone ones as locked in as besties Cynthia and Ari) would’ve never let that shit fly (broomstick or not).
Image Credit: Getty Imageswicked movie premiere cynthia ariana
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Somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 to 15 million is a solid educated guess, and I’ll tell you why! Universal did not release the exact salary the two leads received, but everyone in the industry has been projecting Wicked as 2024’s Barbie. (And FWIW, the roles of Barbie and Ken are actually a perf parallel to Elphaba and Glinda.) Prior to all the box office bonuses Margot Robbie made for her producorial efforts on the 2023 pink blockbuster, Variety reported that she and Ryan Gosling made 12.5 million for their acting salaries. Therefore, Ari and Cynthia probs made at least that, plus inflation. And, since the rumor mill claimed Ms. Ponytail made 15 mil, I’d consider that as a decent estimated salary window ceiling. All lies start somewhere, right?
Image Credit: Getty Imageswicked 2024 cast
Part one of Jon Chu’s musical adaptation slayed $163 mil at the global box office for its opening (with a not-too-shabby $114 million domestically). That means it’s already recovered its 150 million budget, which in the movie business is considered a big success, even if it’s a wee bit behind Barbie’s $155 million opening weekend number (which was record-breaking for a female-directed film).