Ariana Grande’s Surprise Pay Gesture to Wicked Co-Star Cynthia Erivo

Controversy over the pay for the stars of the film Wicked has shone a light on the staggering wealth and property disparity between the two leads – and a move by Ariana Grande to bridge the divide.

Rumours had been swirling of a massive pay gap between stars Grande and Cynthia Erivo due to the former’s much larger fan base and bigger name recognition.

But these whispers have since been squashed, with Universal Studios confirming both actors received the same undisclosed paycheck for their portrayals of Glinda (Grande) and Elphaba (Erivo).

Grande expanded on how “granular” they were in ensuring equal pay in a conversation at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation event.

“When I got my contract I called her (Erivo) up and said hey let’s go through this thing,” she said. “I want us to have each other’s backs, your problems become my problems.”

Wicked has amassed a staggering $472,042,574 (USD) worldwide gross, the ninth highest of 2024, as reported by Variety.

The two performers’ have walked different yellow brick roads in the industry.

Both have had Broadway theatre debuts, recorded studio-albums, sold-out concerts and starred in TV shows, but Grande’s reported $360 million (US$230 million) net worth sets her apart.

Some of that wealth is locked up in the property market.

Grande purchased a $25 million Manhattan apartment in 2018 with then boyfriend SNL comedian Pete Davidson. After their short-lived engagement and separation, she sold the apartment for about $21 million, according to People.

She then went on to purchase a Hollywood Hills home in 2020, spending $21.5 million. She then sold the property for roughly $22 million in 2021, according to media reports.

She was later reported to have purchased Ellen DeGeneres’ Montecito Tudor-style home for almost $11 million and resold it for about $14 million.

She also bought another Hollywood Hills home for $14 million, which she sold earlier this year to Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny for $13 million, incurring a loss.

Her latest investment is a property once owned by actor Cameron Diaz. Grande paid a reported $7.7 million for the Los Angeles property in an off-market deal.

Eviro’s net worth is estimated at about $5 million. After the success of Wicked Part 1, both stars are anticipated to get a big pay bump for the second film, set to hit screens in November 2025.

Grande’s career began as a child actor when she featured in the Jason Robert Brown coming-of-age Broadway musical “13”. From there, she became a star on the Nickelodeon show Victorious and the spin off series Cat and Sam.

She has recorded seven studio albums and performed multiple world tours. The Sweetener World Tour is her biggest tour to date with a gross of $146 million and 1.3 million tickets sold, according to Billboard.

Erivo, born in South London, began her career in London after training at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Erivo has won a Daytime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award and a Tony Award and was nominated for two Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.

She revealed that limited opportunities for the film and theatre industry in the UK for women of colour prompted her move to LA in 2015.

“Ultimately, you go where the work is and where your craft is appreciated and unfortunately the UK fails on that front,” the star told The Glossary in 2021.

Erivo made her Broadway debut as Celie in The Color Purple, known as her breakout role for which she was awarded a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.

Known for her powerhouse vocals, she has also displayed her on-screen acting chops including her portrayal as American abortionist and social activist Harriet Tubman in the 2019 bio-pic ‘Harriet’.

Additionally, Erivo lent her voice to the movie’s title song, “Stand Up,” which she co-wrote. Stand Up won “Best Original Song” at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Erivo also starred in the HBO series The Outsider in 2021 and in Disney’s live-action retelling of Pinnochio.