Cynthia Erivo proved to be a friend to Ariana Grande after stepping in when a fan jumped on the pop star during the “Wicked: For Good” premiere in Singapore on Nov. 13.
Videos circulating on social media show Grande walking arm in arm with Erivo and co-star Michelle Yeoh along a fenced-off fan line when a man suddenly vaulted over the barricade and grabbed the singer.
Erivo immediately pulled the individual off Grande as security closed in and escorted the man away. Yeoh and Erivo were then seen comforting the “Break Free” singer, who was visibly shaken.
Grande has long been vocal about her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety following a bombing at her 2017 Manchester concert, which left 22 people dead.
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The intruder, identified as Johnson Wen, later claimed in an Instagram Story that he had been “freed after being arrested.” According to The Straits Times, he was detained after leaving Sentosa.
Cynthia Erivo protects Ariana Grande from a ‘Wicked: For Good’ premiere attendee. pic.twitter.com/XQBeQJWZsI
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 13, 2025
Authorities identified Wen as a known serial intruder who has disrupted several high-profile events, including Katy Perry’s Sydney concert in June, The Weeknd’s concert in October 2024, and the men’s 100m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Australian outlet 9News previously reported that Wen is unemployed, living in a backpackers’ hostel, and has amassed about A$20,000 in fines from past security breaches.
Meanwhile, “Wicked: For Good” follows the success of 2024’s “Wicked: Part One,” which opened to a record-breaking US$100-million domestic debut, the highest opening weekend ever for a musical film.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film stars Grande, Erivo, Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater, among others. It is set to premiere in Philippine cinemas on Nov. 19. /ra
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