Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande/instagram

Ariana Grande was grabbed by a fan during the Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore, prompting swift charges against the 26-year-old Australian man involved. Identified as Johnson Wen, he was seen in a viral video sprinting past a barricade before clinging onto the pop star on the yellow-brick-themed carpet. Grande, who appeared visibly shaken, was quickly pulled away by her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo as security intervened. According to reports, Wen was arrested on site and later charged with being a public nuisance, an offence in Singapore that carries fines of up to S$2,000.

The incident has triggered widespread online backlash, with Ariana Grande fans expressing concern for the singer's safety — particularly given her history with traumatic events, including the 2017 Manchester Arena attack. Critics also questioned the security arrangements at the premiere after Wen posted his own footage on Instagram, thanking Grande for 'letting' him jump onto the carpet. Many highlighted that this was not Wen's first such stunt; he previously rushed the stage at concerts for Katy Perry, The Chainsmokers and others. Local media reported that Wen intends to plead guilty and is currently unrepresented in court.

@raphael.sli

My first time meeting Ariana Grande was ruined 🥺 a guy rushed to Ari, happened at the WICKED For Good Movie Premiere in Singapore 🇸🇬 #wicked #singapore #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #viral

♬ original sound - raphael sli - raphael sli
@beauty_pageant_

Poor Ariana 🥹​ កំឡុង​ពេល​ចូលរួម​កម្មវិធី​សម្ពោធ​រឿង​ Wicked for good នៅ​ក្នុងប្រទេសសឹង្ហបុរី​ ariana grande ត្រូវ​បាន​ហ្វេនម្នាក់​រត់មកទាំង​កំរោល​ដេីម្បី​ឱបគាត់​ ហេីយ​ security ក៏មក​ហាម​ឃាត់​ភ្លាមៗ​នោះ​ 😭 @arianagrande #arianagrande #wickedforgood #sokchea #beauty_pageant_

♬ twilight zone - Ariana Grande
Phil Lewis/WENN
Phil Lewis/WENN
Phil Lewis/WENN
Jeffrey Mayer/JTMPhotos, Int'l. / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

As the clip continues to circulate globally, the moment has reignited discussions about boundaries, fan behaviour and the responsibility of event organisers to protect celebrities during promotional tours. Grande has not commented publicly, but she and the Wicked: For Good cast have continued their worldwide rollout, with the next premiere scheduled in New York. For supporters, the hope is that tighter security measures will prevent similar breaches as the tour progresses.