Angry fans cried foul over the $14 million discrepancy between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s alleged salaries, but Universal’s response didn’t hold back

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Over the years have a number of films musicals have won best picture. Now there’s another possible candidate to join that list Evilwhich broke records upon release in cinemas. The Evil the cast is led by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, though rumors began circulating online that there was a whopping $14 million difference between their salaries. Fans called this out, but Universal’s response didn’t hold back.

Instead of an offbeat musical, Evil is a global blockbuster that has obsessed fans for decades. Grande and Erivo have been crying non-stop while promoting the film, showing what a strong bond they developed on set. And after a post on Threads claimed the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer was paid $15 million compared to Ervivo’s $1 million, Universal issued a statement to Page six. It reads:

Reports of salary disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women were paid equally for their work on Wicked.

There you have it. The studio certainly did not mince words and revealed that the two leading actresses of Evil was actually paid the same. While the actual number remains a mystery for now, this should help nip the rumor in the bud… especially since Grande and Erivo will be promoting the other Evil movie before we know it.

The conversation about Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s rumored salary set the internet on fire, especially since Elphaba is the film’s clear lead. While Universal made it clear that they were indeed paid the same, some fans believed that Grande could have been paid more since she had to take time off from her carer as a pop star. After all, her latest album Eternal Sunshine didn’t get a tour probably thanks to her Evil obligations.

Debate on the hierarchy of Evil‘s two main characters have been at it ever since the stage show debuted on Broadway. Both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were nominated in the Best Lead Actress category at the Tony Awards, with Menzel taking home the statue that year. For the first film, it has been reported that Erivo will be cast as the lead, while Grande will go to Supporting. We’ll have to see if this changes for the second film.

This ongoing discourse regarding Evil shows how much Jon M. Chu’s films have taken the pop culture landscape by storm. The musical was a critical and box office success (see CinemaBlend’s Evil review here), and the audience is already counting the days until Second part coming next year. And with the salary rumor behind us, fans can feel guilt-free about how much they enjoyed the film.

Evil is in the cinema now, and Second part will follow suit on November 21, 2025. For now, you can check the 2025 movie release dates.