Why Wicked Ariana Grande Earned 15x More Than Cynthia Erivo in Wicked

Wicked Ariana Grande made $15M for her role as Glinda in Wicked.

Cynthia Erivo, as Elphaba, earned only $1M—15 times less than Grande.

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Supporting stars Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum earned $2M each.

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Jonathan Bailey was paid $450K for his role as Fiyero.

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Producers banked on Grande’s massive fanbase for her higher pay

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Wicked smashed records, earning $114M in its US opening weekend.

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The Australian premiere earned over $10.3M in just five days.

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Fans criticized the movie’s muted colors compared to 1939’s Wizard of Oz.

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Director Jon M. Chu defended the look, calling it more “realistic.”

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Part 2 of Wicked hits theaters next year, continuing the magical tale.

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