Ariana Grande Is Sending Cynthia Erivo “Very, Very Worried” Messages
Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo — Quick Read
- Erivo confirmed Grande has been sending “very, very worried” messages during her Dracula run.
- Erivo performs 28 characters across a 20,000-word script in the West End one-woman show.
- The Wicked co-stars stay in touch via FaceTime and text, per Erivo’s interview with Elle.
- Erivo is also training for the London Marathon, running lines in her head as she trains.
The Wicked co-stars stay close even as Erivo juggles a one-woman West End show and marathon training
Ariana Grande has been texting her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo with concern as Erivo pushes through one of the most physically demanding stretches of her career. Erivo revealed the messages during a TV appearance on ITV’s This Morning, telling hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary that Grande’s worry had been a constant presence backstage.
Erivo, 39, currently stars in a one-woman West End production of Dracula. She performs 28 separate characters across a script of approximately 20,000 words per show.
How Close Are They After Wicked?
Grande and Erivo remain firmly in each other’s lives, nearly a year after Wicked hit cinemas. Erivo told Elle magazine that the two stay connected through constant FaceTime calls and texts. “Ari is in L.A. currently, and so we’re FaceTiming back and forth and texting all the time,” Erivo said per the Elle interview.
Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum have also visited Erivo’s Dracula show, per comments she made on This Morning. Bailey texts regularly to check on her well-being, she added.
Erivo addressed online speculation about the nature of their friendship head-on in a February 2026 interview with The Stylist. “At first, I think people didn’t understand how it was possible for two women to be friends close and not lovers,” she told the publication.
Ariana Grande’s Concern What Erivo Said About the Messages
Erivo described receiving “very, very worried” messages from Grande as she balances an intense performance schedule with marathon training. The Dracula production demands everything. Erivo said, “There’s so much poured into it, emotionally, physically, mentally; everything is switched on. I don’t switch off at all.”
The exhaustion runs beyond the show itself. Erivo also described how she integrates rehearsal into marathon training, aiming for a time under three hours and 30 minutes: “While I’m running, I run the run lines in my head.”
The Full Friendship Timeline
Grande and Erivo first appeared together at the 2024 Oscars ceremony in March of that year, when they presented together as a preview of Wicked. Production on the film had already wrapped at that point. Their friendship became one of the most discussed in entertainment throughout 2024 and 2025.
Grande played Glinda, and Erivo played Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation for Universal Pictures. Wicked opened in cinemas on November 22, 2024. Grande now focuses on her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which launches June 6, 2026.
Their friendship survived the Wicked: For Good press cycle and the transition back to separate careers. The “very worried” texts prove it has outlasted the production entirely.
FAQ — Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo
Are Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo still friends in 2026?
Yes. Erivo confirmed in April 2026 that they FaceTime and text constantly. Grande has been sending worried messages during Erivo’s Dracula run.
What show is Cynthia Erivo currently performing in?
Erivo stars in a one-woman West End production of Dracula, performing 28 characters across a 20,000-word script per show.
What did Cynthia Erivo say about Ariana Grande’s messages?
She described them as “very, very worried” texts, shared during an appearance on ITV’s This Morning in April 2026.
Did Cynthia Erivo address the Ariana Grande romance rumours?
Yes, in February 2026. Erivo told The Stylist the fascination with their closeness reflected a lack of cultural space for deep platonic female friendships.
When does Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour start?
The Eternal Sunshine Tour launches June 6, 2026, in Oakland, California. It is Grande’s first headline stadium tour since 2019.