Cynthia Erivo has candid response to claims she isn't actually friends with Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo has hit back at the speculation over her friendship with Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, suggesting people don't know her 'very well'.

It's been nearly two years since the release of the first Wicked film in 2024, which saw Erivo in green as Elphaba for the very first time.

And while many gushed over her on-screen relationship with Grande, who starred as Glinda in the iconic movies, some fans also questioned whether their friendship was real, after a lengthy press tour and countless public appearances together. We all remember that 'holding space' interview.

But Erivo, 39, has set the record straight after years of speculation.

Speaking with Variety in March, the actress revealed: "I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends.

Many fans questioned just how close the pair were after the filming of Wicked (Taylor Hill/WireImage)

"But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend. If I’m not, then I’m not."

She added that the two still text almost every day.

"It's very interesting, watching what people's perception is versus what the reality actually is," the star continued.

"Lots of psychologists seated at home deciding who we were, what we were going through, what we were doing and why."

She described Wicked and everything that came after it as 'it's own storm in a teacup', but noted that it was also a beautiful experience that 'changed my [her] life'.

The pair also formed a very tactile friendship during the film's press tour, with both stars seen physically 'checking in' with subtle touches and hand squeezes on several occasions.

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked (Universal Pictures)

Opening up about it on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast last year, Grande explained that she wanted 'to be safe in each other', with their emotional and physical closeness aiming to keep them 'as connected as much as possible, every step of the way'.

Erivo is now starring in a one-person production of Dracula, a West End adaptation of Bram Stoker's horror classic, playing the titular vampire alongside 22 other roles.

Speaking with Vogue Japan, Grande also praised the duo's relationship while working on the iconic masterpiece.

"We took good care of each other and worked very hard, and it was the most gratifying work of my life," she said.

The singer noted that she would 'do it all over again' if she had the opportunity.

The duo praised the experience as once-in-a-lifetime (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

She added: "We have very different processes, and we’re very different as people. Yet we took the time to learn each other, take care of each other through this process… I think it was really meant to be."

Grande is currently on tour with her Eternal Sunshine album, and the 41-show run is her first concert tour in seven years.

And just last year, the 33-year-old confirmed that she requested Erivo to join her on stage for a few select stops on her sold-out tour.