‘I felt my humanity was bastardised’: Cynthia Erivo says reaction to Ariana Grande red carpet incident rooted in racism
Actress Cynthia Erivo stated that the public reaction to her protecting co-star Ariana Grande from a red-carpet intruder was rooted in racism. She criticized the perception that she was acting as a 'bodyguard' rather than a peer, highlighting the bias faced by Black women.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing discussions regarding racial bias, celebrity culture, and the treatment of Black women in the public eye.
Wicked co-star said reactions to the incident, which included suggestions she was Grande’s ‘bodyguard’, reflect an insidious view of Black women Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has said that reactions to the incident at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good, in which she stepped in to fend off a red-carpet invader who grabbed co-star Ariana Grande, revealed “the insidious nature of how we view Black women” and put her off campaigning for Oscars. In an interview with Variety , Erivo said that she and Grande were “terrified” when Johnson Wen jumped a barrier at Universal Studios Singapore and rushed towards them. “Nobody moved. Nobody moved. So I moved because my brain went, ‘Get him away! Get him out of here!’ … And what people couldn’t see is that he wouldn’t let go [of Grande]. He wouldn’t let go. So I just kept pushing at him to get him off.” Continue reading...
The article centers on the perspective of the subject regarding systemic racism and social justice issues.
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