Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo Revelation: $114M Opener Fuels Salary Discrepancy Rumours

Universal Pictures' highly anticipated first chapter of the Wicked film adaptation has officially smashed records, soaring past expectations with a spectacular $114 million (£90 million) opening weekend in North America.

This financial victory, driven by the powerhouse pairing of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, cemented the film's status as a bona fide blockbuster.

Yet, as the good witch Glinda and the future Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, charmed critics and audiences alike, a darker rumour began to circulate on the internet, threatening to cast a shadow over the film's success: an alleged pay disparity between its two leading ladies.

The intense reaction to these claims perfectly illustrates why the fight for equal pay remains one of the most vital and complicated battles in modern Hollywood.

Universal Denies Salary Gap Claims

The controversy stemmed from the difference in the actresses' public profiles. Ariana Grande, who portrays the bubbly Glinda, is one of the world's most recognisable pop superstars. Her fame led to unverified online speculation, claiming she had commanded a massive $15 million (£11.9 million) salary.

In contrast, Cynthia Erivo, a celebrated theatre actress and Academy Award nominee playing the leading role of Elphaba, was reportedly set to earn just $1 million (£795,000). The thought of a $14 million gulf in compensation for two performers who are fundamentally co-leads in a multi-part production sparked immediate outrage.

The swift circulation of these numbers on platforms like TikTok and Reddit forced the studio to take action against what it called 'internet fodder', resulting in a rare official communication from the usually silent Universal Pictures.

In a statement provided to Variety, a spokesperson for Universal Pictures put the rumours to rest definitively. The spokesperson confirmed: 'Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.'

A History of Pay Inequity in Hollywood

While the confirmation was a welcome relief, the fact that the rumour was instantly credible to many speaks to Hollywood's systemic issues. The financial subjugation of Black actresses compared to their white co-stars is a long-documented problem.

This context is what makes the historical fight waged by Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain so relevant. Spencer raised the issue forcefully in 2018 when the two stars—who initially worked together on the film The Help—began discussing salaries for a future Christmas comedy project.

During the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 'Women Breaking Barriers' panel, Spencer detailed her crucial conversation with Chastain.

The Oscar winner explained that she had to broaden the focus beyond the simple gender wage gap to address racial inequity: 'I said, 'But here's the thing, women of colour on that spectrum, we make far less than white women. So, if we're gonna have that conversation about pay equity, we gotta bring the women of colour to the table,'' she recalled.

Spencer noted that Chastain was initially stunned. 'And I told her my story, and we talked numbers, and she was quiet, and she said she had no idea that that's what it was like for women of colour.'

Chastain, however, responded not with simple sympathy but with decisive action. Spencer recounted: '[Chastain] said, "Octavia, we're gonna get you paid on this film."'

By negotiating a 'favoured nations' clause, the pair ensured they would receive identical compensation. This powerful solidarity resulted in a stunning outcome for both actresses, who ended up 'making five times what [they] asked for.'

The parallel between these two pairings is clear. Just as Spencer and Chastain presented a united front, Grande and Erivo have maintained a close, supportive bond throughout the high-pressure production of Wicked.

This collaborative spirit likely played a significant role in Universal Pictures' decision to swiftly and publicly affirm the equal financial standing of its two celebrated stars. While the exact salaries for Wicked's first instalment remain undisclosed, the studio's commitment to equal pay for its co-leads is a crucial, positive headline that should be honouring the film for years to come.