Cynthia Erivo Shares Sweet Tribute to Ariana Grande as ‘Wicked’ Hits Theaters: ‘Kindest Human Being’

Something Wicked this way comes — and Cynthia Erivo is celebrating!

As the long-awaited musical adaptation hits theaters on Friday, November 22, Erivo — who plays Elphaba in the movie — took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to her collaborators, costar Ariana Grande and director Jon M. Chu, Friday.

“This journey has been long and paved with bright, yellow brick. We have laughed and cried, held hands, and walked side by side, our lives intertwined, and because of that, we were irrevocably changed for good,” Erivo, 37, wrote alongside a series of behind-the-scenes photos from the Wicked set. “We gained more than a movie. We gained a love letter to love, friendship, the celebration of the things that make us different, special, and beautiful, and the bravery it takes to change your mind.”

The Oscar nominee went on to pay tribute to her character, Elphaba, writing, “Thank you for the gifts you have brought me.”

Erivo then shared a sweet tribute to costar Grande, who plays Glinda in the musical.

“Galinda/ Glinda/Ariana Grande-Butera, I love you. You are the truest, kindest, human being. It has been an honor to share this experience of a lifetime with you,” she wrote.

Addressing the film’s director, Erivo added, “Jon, my dear captain, thank you for your trust and your belief, your heart and imagination. You lead us with love and it is all over that screen.”

Grande, 31, and Erivo also shared a joint Instagram post to mark Friday’s release. They posted a candid shot from the movie poster photo shoot in which Grande can be seen kissing Erivo on the cheek while Erivo smiles.

“Look, it’s tomorrow … Wicked is out now 🫧 ♡ 🧹 @wickedmovie @wickedthesoundtrack,” they captioned the photo.

Grande and Erivo became close friends while rehearsing for and filming Wicked in London in 2022.

“I feel really inspired by her fierce ability to be truthful and protect herself,” Grande told The New York Times earlier in November of her bond with Erivo. “Just by being around her, I have become more of an ally to myself when I used to do a lot of self-abandoning, and I really do credit that to our friendship.”

For her part, Erivo said of Grande, “I don’t know if she knows, but she’s definitely changed my life. I think it was one of the first times a person looked at me and just was happy with what was there. I would tell her about what I wanted for myself as a musician and she just believed it, I think more than I did. I don’t think it was up until I met her that I was like, ‘Oh, I think I can have what I want in this lifetime, and I can have it in my way.’”