The long-awaited Wicked movie-musical has a $150 million budget (drum-playing rodents don’t come cheap), plus tens of millions of more in marketing costs. That sounds like a lot — until you learn that the Jon M. Chu-directed film made over $160 million in its opening weekend. But how much of that budget went to the stars of Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo?
Over the weekend, there were rumors that Grande was paid $15 million to play Galinda (or Glinda, if you prefer) compared to only $1 million for Erivo as Elphaba. But that is not the case. “Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a Universal Pictures spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
So, how much were they paid?
Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo’s Salaries For Wicked
Grande and Erivo’s exact paydays for Wicked is unknown, but the spokesperson added that the actresses received “equal pay” for their work. Whatever it was, it was worth it for Erivo’s high note in “Defying Gravity” and Grande’s hair flips alone.
Part two of Wicked, which also stars Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, is due out on November 21, 2025.
