Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s highly publicized awards season run for “Wicked: For Good” has taken a controversial turn following claims from anonymous Oscar voters.
Despite viral moments, emotional interviews, and a headline-grabbing press tour, the pair walked away without 2026 Oscar nominations.
Now, behind-the-scenes accounts suggest their snub had less to do with talent and more to do with how their promotional appearances were received, with some voters admitting they felt uneasy watching the duo together.
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Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo’s Oscar Snub Sparks Backlash
Much has been made about Grande and Erivo failing to land 2026 Oscar nominations for his or her performances in “Wicked: For Good.”
Grande appeared in a supporting role as Glinda, while Erivo starred as Elphaba within the follow-up to 2024’s “Wicked.”
In keeping with one anonymous Oscar voter who spoke with News Nation, the choice wasn’t surprising behind closed doors.
“The movie wasn’t that great. The 2 have amazing on-screen chemistry but spent a lot of the movie apart,” the voter told the outlet’s Paula Froelich.
That assessment reportedly shaped early opinions amongst voters, nevertheless it was the actresses’ off-screen presence that left a stronger impression.
Despite months of attention and viral clips, some voters allegedly felt the campaign worked against them relatively than of their favor.
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Grande’s Press Tour Moments Allegedly ‘Creeped’ Voters Out
The identical voter claimed the actresses’ promotional appearances were a serious turnoff.
“I used to be also just completely turned off by their promotional performances. They creeped a number of people in and out their rush to feel authentic, got here off as cosplaying,” the source said.
In keeping with the outlet, their affectionate red carpet behavior and emotional interviews became talking points inside awards circles.
One other voter echoed the identical sentiment, stating, “The movie wasn’t that good and [Erivo and Grande] sucked the air out of any red carpet they were on — and nobody desired to undergo that again.”
The voter added, “Consider it this manner: We were protecting Ariana from her anxiety — and Cynthia from having to intervene. Again.”
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Alongside these critiques, fans online also voiced concern over Ariana Grande and Erivo’s noticeable weight reduction in the course of the press run.
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Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo’s Viral Moments Under Scrutiny
Several viral interactions between Grande and Erivo were later cited as examples of what critics labeled “cringeworthy.”
In Paris, the pair were asked by an Elle Magazine journalist to explain one another’s “auras.”
The “Sam and Cat” actress revealed that Erivo’s was “yellow,” like “sunshine,” before adding, “I feel there’s also purple.”
Erivo responded by describing Grande’s as “like a ciel blue, you understand? Like aqua. And like, sunset-orange.”
The exchange was widely shared online, with mixed reactions.
Following the moment, one Reddit user wrote per the Each day Mail, “I can’t undergo this again,” referencing the duo’s previous press tour moments in 2024.
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Grande Moments That Divided Fans And Industry Insiders
One of the vital talked-about interviews from 2024 featured Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo speaking with journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist for Out Magazine.
Through the sit-down, Gilchrist told the 39-year-old that she had seen people online discussing the lyrics of “Defying Gravity” and “feeling power” from it.
Erivo replied, “I didn’t know that was happening. That’s really powerful. That’s what I wanted.”
As Erivo spoke, Grande became emotional and reached over to clasp her co-star’s index finger in a visual show of support.
While some praised the moment, others mocked it online. One person asked on X, “What was this?” while one other added, “Is that this a sketch comedy show or something?”
The scrutiny continued in November 2025 when a fan charged at Grande in the course of the Singapore premiere of the film, prompting Erivo to intervene protectively.
The person was later identified as Johnson Wen, who goes by @PyjamaMann on Instagram.
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Ariana Grande Sparks Breakup Rumors After Attending The Golden Globes Alone
The backlash surrounding the movie stars’ public appearances appears to be only one in all Grande’s quite a few issues in recent times.
In keeping with reports, all isn’t well between the 32-year-old and her boyfriend, Ethan Slater, with rumors of a breakup making the rounds.
As The Blast reported, the breakup speculations intensified on January 11 when Grande stepped out for the 2026 Golden Globes with Slater nowhere in sight.
As a substitute, the singer was accompanied by her longtime friend Doug Middlebrook. For a lot of, it signified trouble between the couple.
Nonetheless, sources later clarified that Slater’s absence was a method relatively than trouble.
“Ariana put Ethan on the back burner while she was promoting the movie. But they’re in a solid place now,” an insider shared. “They’re like an old married couple at home. They’d relatively hang around together and do easy things like play board games or binge watch shows relatively than exit to fancy places.”