A Rescue Act: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s Good Deeds at Wicked Screening

The story of Elphaba and Glinda, the legendary witches of Oz, is one of unexpected friendship and profound compassion. In a surprising moment of real-life mirroring, the actresses portraying the iconic duo—Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda)—stepped off the screen and into a moment of crisis to assist a fan. Influencer Tricia Mpisi, who was attending an early screening of the film, recounted a “shocking glass incident” where she was accidentally drenched in champagne. Instead of retreating, the stars rushed to Mpisi’s aid, cleaning her up, calming her panic, and turning what Mpisi called “one of the most embarrassing moments” of her life into one of the “most memorable, human moments.”

Chaos Erupts on the Yellow Brick Carpet

The incident occurred in 2024 at an early screening event for the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked. Tricia Mpisi, a South African influencer, was “supremely excited” to see the film and meet the stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The excitement, however, quickly turned to panic during a group photo.

As the guests posed for a picture, a glass of champagne accidentally spilled, drenching Mpisi’s head and outfit. In the resulting chaos, the influencer was terrified. She felt something warm go into her eyes, which were already stinging from the alcohol mixing with her mascara and makeup. “I start to panic a little bit because I can’t see,” Mpisi recalled in her TikTok reflection. It was at this moment, with Mpisi struggling to open her eyes and fearful of what the liquid might be, that the two stars took immediate, hands-on action.

The Good Witches Intervene

The two leads of Wicked immediately sprang into action. Erivo, upon hearing the commotion and seeing the spill, was heard calling out, “We need tissues, right now, right now!” Mpisi remembered Erivo holding her and saying, “We’re gonna find you a chair now, okay? You’re gonna be okay.”

Once seated, Mpisi received assistance from both actresses. Though her eyes were closed and burning, she recognized the voices of Grande and Erivo as they tended to her. “I’m hearing their voices, and obviously I recognize Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s voice,” she recalled. “And both of them were so sweet and so kind and took the time to comfort me until I started to feel better and started smiling.” Erivo specifically made sure that Mpisi was completely champagne-free before the screening began, ensuring that “the alcohol was nowhere to be found.”

The Premiere Joke That Calmed the Panic

Beyond the physical clean-up, Ariana Grande offered a moment of levity that successfully dissolved Mpisi’s embarrassment and fear. After realizing her dress was ruined by the champagne, Mpisi expressed distress over the damage and the impending premiere.

Grande, portraying Glinda the Good Witch, embraced the role of the Good Witch of the North and jokingly offered a fantastical solution. “Ariana Grande was like, ‘Oh don’t worry, we can cancel the premiere,’” Mpisi recounted. The audacious joke instantly broke the tension, causing Mpisi to laugh and ask, “Really? You would cancel the premiere for me?” Grande replied with assurance: “Yeah, I know a guy.” This lighthearted exchange instantly put Mpisi at ease, turning a stressful moment into a memorable piece of star-studded absurdity.

A Lesson in Human Kindness

For Mpisi, the most significant aspect of the encounter was not the celebrity interaction, but the sheer human empathy displayed by Erivo and Grande. Mpisi, who lives in South Africa, explained that she is not accustomed to strangers intervening to help one another, citing a cultural tendency toward self-preservation where people often avoid getting involved in crises.

“So the fact that Cynthia and Ariana did means a lot to me,” Mpisi emphasized. The influencer was deeply touched by the actresses’ immediate and genuine concern, stating, “I think they’re such kind human beings.” Ultimately, Mpisi concluded that the spontaneous act of compassion was more meaningful than any photo opportunity or red-carpet walk, saying the stars “turned one of the most embarrassing moments into one of the most memorable, human moments of my life.” Mpisi closed her recollection with a heartfelt thank you, vowing to “remember this for a very long time.”