'Wicked' Stars Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande "Talked by Touching" While Filming | FULL INTERVIEW

We're dressed up for the one. You look stunning. Everybody dressed up for you. And it was so meaningful. And you know, I'm full of admiration. I've shown up and, you know, stalked you with my daughters. No, you are the most loving person in the entire world. Do you remember the first time we met? I will never forget it. We were at the play Ann Juliet. Yes. Which is my favorite. I've seen it four times. You know, the girls and their friends. And that particular night was Olive's birthday. Oh my God, that's right. And all of a sudden I just looked and I was like, Oh! May I tell you my side of the story, please? Yes, please. It's so insane. You, first of all, I don't know if you remember, but we finally locked eyes during Katy Perry's roar. Yes. Do you remember that? So for me, this was a very overwhelming moment because I got to go see it with Max Martin. And I don't know if you know, but it's a jukebox musical with all of the songs that he's written. Including Roar. And many of your songs are in there that he's written with you also. Yes. It's already very overwhelming because how cool to see this and sit next to him. What an honor, what a privilege. And then the confetti starts blowing out of the air. It's very loud. It's very intense. And then Roar by Katy Perry is playing. And then I look and there's this beautiful woman, this beautiful presence reaching towards me. And it's Drew Barrymore. And I was like, what is happening? We held hands. We held hands like this across the row. And Katy Perry was still singing. And then you just made a little heart at me. And I was like, oh my goodness, I don't know when I'll ever see her again. But it felt like Cinderella in the front. So I was like, oh my God, I love her. It was very Michelangelo. Yes. Like touching hands. Yes. A little E.T.-ish. So it was an extra significant moment. But I was just so happy to be in your presence. And- Me too. Growing up with my daughters, you've been such an important figure in our life with your music. And then we also- Thank you. Thinking about Sam and Kat, when I was watching you play this extraordinary character, and what really hit me was I was like, what is this that I see a thread? And it is old Hollywood. You embody another era of style. Oh my goodness. And was there training ground throughout your life that you would pull from? Because this is such an elevated, beautiful, extraordinary performance. How did you do it? Thank you, first of all. And I think it kind of, not to sound too on the nose, but I think the first thing I remember really studying is Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. And I remember sitting in front of the TV and watching how she sang, how she held herself, how she, every little subtlety. I was so in love with her. I loved her. She was probably my first, I guess, impersonation. I would do it for my grandparents and for my mom. And, oh my God, that's me! Wait, do you know about the fact that I used to wear a Scream mask with this dress? I used to wear it. Why a Scream mask with Dorothy? Well, because I was weird. And I loved Scream and I loved The Wizard of Oz, and I never knew how to marry the two, so I just did it, you know? It felt good. It felt authentic. It felt like a good- We're also talking about really difficult performances. I have so much respect for what you've brought to this, the humanity. Again, there's something so sensual. You are subtle in moments, which I'm not good at. I'm a ham. No, you have it all. But it takes a lot of confidence to trust yourself to not go big or not go for the joke, but then also go for it because nobody wants someone subtle the whole time. Well, I think that is kind of the beauty of Glinda is that she has these larger-than-life comedic moments, but there's also a lot just underneath the surface. And I think I really wanted to take the time to get to know her and to get to know her insecurities and her fears and the things she's desperate for. And she is a girl who's had everything handed to her on a silver platter her whole life, and she's grown up very privileged, but there's a lot that is missing from her. And I wanted to make sure that I knew what those things were so that even amidst the comedy and even amidst the simple but beautiful things that she can say, like, look, it's tomorrow, those things hold weight for her, and that I could use her trauma and her pain. I knew what it was so that it could all just kind of be there if I used it or not, if you see it or not. It's just, I wanted to get to know her. To break all of these records, congratulations to break every record under the sun. How do you feel now? I mean, what a strange holding onto all these years that you've carried this beautiful electric connection friendship that's so true and real and palpable, and we all feel it and sense it, which is the chemistry that holds and binds this together. But does it feel good knowing that it more than worked? It feels really beautiful. I think, you know, what we shared felt so incredibly special every single day, and to us it felt that way, but you never know, you know? You're so lost in the sauce, if you will. You know, we were really in Oz for two and a half, three years, and we kind of tried to keep our blinders on and keep the outside noise and the expectations and the, you know, fears of what would or wouldn't work out of the room so that we could just be as honest as possible with each other and with John Chu, our brilliant director who created the safest space in the entire world. I feel like such an intimate experience considering the grandeur of it and the size of what it actually was, and to see people take from it the most important thing, which is the themes, the forgiveness, the love, the friendship, and that is the true magic of it. And the pain and humanity. I don't think that I've seen a film, especially female-led, that handles this humanity and how people feel in the world the way that you and Cynthia and John did together as a trifecta. Thank you. It's... Thank you, thank you. I think, first of all, thank you, but I just, I really think that it's a beautiful thing that it fights for humanness, and the complexities that we're all so familiar with that come with just being a human being. And it asks the question, are people good or wicked? And the answer is so complicated. And it also asks the question, once you know the truth, what do you do with it? And I think we all want to be like Elphaba when we find out the truth, you know? And it just kind of allows so much space in this movie for the people who aren't ready yet, the people who are somewhat afraid and still learning and navigating what it means to become more and more good. And yeah. I think that's why this is so much more than a film. I think that this is something that is honoring, respecting, complex, guiding, and just what I personally need right now in this world. I need this. And it was, I just thought about the life experience that you and John and Cynthia brought. I keep seeing the three of you. And by the way, every other person that is in the film that took to make it, everyone behind the scenes, I know how these things are made. And I can't wait to see the next one. Okay, will you play silly questions with me? I will definitely play silly questions with you. Now, I have something for you while we play the silly questions. There's so many gifts, what do you mean? Well, I have something that's extremely exciting and special. Okay, will you play silly questions with me? I will definitely play silly questions with you. I have something for you while we play the silly questions. Are there so many gifts, what do you mean? Well, I have something that's extremely exciting and special. It's actually, it was at the Smithsonian and now it's owned in private hands, but for the purposes of our sit-down, they loaned it to us. Bring out the original Glinda wand, please. Thank you, Angel. I'm just gonna take you right over here, honey. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You look so perfect with it. Thank you, how did you even, how did you pull this off? I have to give credit to everyone on this show, because literally we were so excited about you coming here. We were like, okay, let's get the wand. That is the original wand from The Wizard of Oz. So there you go. Eat these silly questions if you don't mind. Okay, here we go. Oh my God, okay. What song do you have on repeat right now? Ooh, Dancing Through Life by Johnny Bailey. Excellent. I am so in love with him. He's the best person in the world. He can do no wrong. He can play every type of character. He is so darn sexy, and so compelling, and I'm crazy for him. What is your worst habit? Oh, okay, so when I get a manicure, if there's anything, like any glops of glue, any tiny bit of gel that I can find, I'll chew it off, and then I ruin the whole thing, and then it's like, it goes all downhill from there. Okay, what is another Broadway musical that speaks to you as something you would ever consider doing? I love Lady of the Lake, Spamalot. Spamalot. See, that's that comedy. You have the best comedy. Did you watch comedy growing up? I did, I love like the Christopher Guest movies, and SNL, like I've always, I've always loved comedy. Okay, you are the best comedian, and comedy, they say dying is easy, comedy is hard. Can I say something? Please. I admire you so much, because I know how hard you do work to learn, and to take care of yourself, and to grow, and I know how young you started, and I don't know too much about, you know, what your relationship has been to this industry the whole time, but I do know what you have shared publicly about it, and I just have to say, it can be ugly sometimes, and your strength, and your heart, and like who you are, the light that you bring, and your ability to dance in the rain, and preserve that childlike wonder is like such a gift. It is such a gift, and I know that that takes, and I know that that does take a lot of hard work to come home to like little Drew, and embrace her, and to get there, and do that work. It's hard, and I just wanted to say that, because I admire you so much, not only because of your brilliant work, but because of the light that you bring, and how happy you make people, because that's really the most important thing. I just had to say that. That means so much to me, coming from you. I, as a mother, look at you, so proud that my daughters and I love you so much, because you're such a good person, and what you've done with this film, and your life, and your work, is you've shown that no matter what, because it can be dark and ugly sometimes, is that you just find that beauty, because it's there, and you put one foot in front of the other, and you be yourself, and the fight to be oneself is so hard and confusing for every human being on this planet, but you put out a film that literally, in this world, brings people together. Do you know what an accomplishment that is? Oh my God! And I wanna keep telling myself every day that it's okay. I've never known what it was like to put my own happiness first. I've been a tremendous people-pleaser my whole life. I think that's an occupational hazard that we go through. But you would get tired sometimes, I bet. It's, I think, the most important thing that we can learn as recovering people-pleasers on this couch. It is, I am a recovering people-pleaser. Oh, yeah, me too. Are you? Oh, absolutely. Oh my God! We did a sketch about it on SNL, and I was like, this isn't a sketch. This is my life. No, but I really think that the most important thing that we can learn is we can give and give and give because it makes us really happy, and meet people, and human connection. That's my favorite thing. I love meeting people. I love having lovely, meaningful interactions and conversations with strangers, and lovely people, and old people in the park, and anyone. I really do, but sometimes, sometimes when we are tired or giving too much, it's okay to have a boundary in a loving and respectful way. Boundaries will save your life. The most loving thing to do is sometimes to say, hi, it's me, Drew Barrymore, and I'm tired today. Just leading with that, you know? It's true. I've never heard it put that way. Yeah. And I've worked in therapy since I was 13. And I got Barry on Monday, 12.40, I'll see you. Oh my God, wait, Barry? Barry and Terry, those are our therapists. Terry's done a great job. You and Terry have done great work together. Congratulations on this well-deserved, epic, record-breaking feat that you, and Cynthia, and John, and everybody involved have accomplished. It was so smart to keep the noise out, but it worked. Well-earned, well-deserved. Cannot wait for two. Thank you so much for coming here today to experience Wicked in IMAX. Spectacular, magnanimous Ariana Grande. Right now, I feel like you are so, I know you so well as a musician, as we all do, but I can't, I see you as an actor right now. That is where I, do you think that that will be your North Star for the next decade or two? Or, you know, I'm never good at plans of the future, but this feels so appropriate that this is your calling right now, that this is where you are. And the music will follow. Thank you. Tenseness is one for the ages. Thank you so much. It truly is. That's really nice. Like your whole life led up to this outflow. You're killing me. It's true. It's not easy. And strong, and vulnerable, and powerful, and empathetic, and righteous, and all the colors that you bring to this. I, as an actor, have done this my whole life, and I'm watching you going, oh my God, how is she doing all of this? That's really insanely kind coming from you. It's very surreal to hear coming from you. Thank you. Well earned. Oh my God, you're killing me. Is there a person you think I would love for them to be proud? You've been in this for years now, but now it's come out, and so in this entry point of opening weekends, breaking records, all of that aside, is there someone you're like, I hope they're proud of me? I hope, oh my goodness, I mean, I really hope that, I worked and trained really hard with my acting coach, and my vocal coach, Eric Vitro, and Nancy Banks for this, and I hope that they can be so proud. I'm sure that they are. They would not have a pulse. Hi, sweet thing. Hi. I heard that you flew down to Florida to watch this with your Nona. I did, yeah. She's 99 now. 99. Yes. And what did she think of your performance, may I ask? I mean, she, it was just so surreal to sit with her in the movie theater that I grew up going to every weekend in Boca Raton, Florida. It was just very surreal to be able to share that with her in that theater, and to hold her hand. Oh my God, I'm getting emotional. Stop. She's actually, I have something for you. Take it away. What are you talking about? Hi, Ariana, how are you? I just saw you in your wonderful, wonderful movie. I'm so proud of you. You make me so proud. Your talent is marvelous. I love you with all my heart. Very lucky to have my grandparents, my grandpa passed, but my grandparents were just such incredible human beings, and I feel like I learned so much from his work ethic, and the way that he treats people, and I actually, he and John remind me, yeah, I was gonna say- They remind you of each other because of the way they treat people. Yeah, John reminds me a lot of my grandpa in that way, which is the absolute highest compliment in the entire world. He was the best person in the world. Okay, Wicked is in theaters now, as everybody knows. We'll be right back. Where's your dog? Oh, yeah, he's somewhere around, but he has made the couch, so sometimes I just wanna make sure that there's no little dust bunnies on it. I love, I love, I love. I was just hugging you just now, and I thought I am so lucky to get to embrace and actually physically be near someone who is breaking records. When I was watching this film, I brought my daughters, and which meant so much to me, and I've never seen in my life, in like the history of cinema as I know it, a performance that speaks to yours in the way of feeling the humanity that you brought to Alphabet. I was thinking about the director. Yes. John M. Chu. John. What was your experience with him like? I felt like we had our own sort of language on the set, and he got to really understand how I tick and how I work, so he really allowed me to be a part of the creative process with him. I love him very much. He's one of the most wonderful people I've ever met, and truly one of the most wonderful people to have worked with, because he has still the imagination of a kid, you know? So he wants to build the world. He wants all of the detail in it, and so he allows for you to do the same, and we would have all the conversations, all the little things that I would be afraid of, I could share it with him. Anything that was making me tick a little bit, then I would share it with him. If I had an idea, I could share it with him. It doesn't matter what the idea was. Nothing was too silly, nothing was too small, nothing was too big. I could give him all of the sort of things I was thinking, and we could try anything on the set. I would always know when he was happy, and we would get the take, and I would always be like, can I just one more? And he would be like, this is the one, this is the one, we're gonna go for it, because he always knew that once he was fine with something, unless I was fine with it, then we weren't moving on. So he would give me the chance to really do what I felt needed to be done as well. I call him my brother. I'm always like, this is the big brother, and that's what our relationship was. So anything that he was thinking, there were times when we would cry together, we would go through things together. I met his kids, and his wife. What would you cry about? What was something that? I think that both of us really understood and understand what it feels like to not fit, to be different, to come to a place that isn't necessarily made for you, whether it's at school, where you just don't feel like you fit in, or you might be bullied, or you might be the odd one out. Both of us really knew what that felt like. And so he made me feel really safe to use those memories to funnel that information into this character. But he would also understand what that was. That's why I wanted to ask you, because I felt a partnership from the two of you that has made not just box office history, which, by the way, congratulations. Thank you very much. It's so crazy. That female-led film that broke every box office record. It's such a miracle. It's insane. I don't think I've really processed it yet. Because you know what? You know when you're just like, I wanted to do this. It didn't matter if I, like, it didn't matter if it did that. I just wanted to be a part of this piece, this, I knew how special it was. And so for all of this to come from it, I keep saying it's like being right within a dream. It's like every single choice you made was so perfect. Thank you. I mean, you have, you also brought a strength to it that I think has to be the note for human beings, maybe even women too, of no, no, no. It's okay. We can push through. And this is not to say that you should always push through. I think what I believe when it comes to the tears and the emotion is the most heartbreaking thing for me, for me when I watch, is a person who is trying to move through something and until they can't really move through anymore and then the tears come. Because then you, I feel like you earn it. And this is, in film, for me, I want to earn those tears. I want to earn the big song at the end. Oh, and do you ever. You and me. I mean, that's crazy. I mean, people are on the street. They're just talking about it. They're talking about the end scene. We all can't wait for the next one. You have built something that is just majestic. Thank you. You did defy all odds, you know, because it's so much more than a film. It is about the human experience and the power of friendship. Yes, very much. I don't know what I would do without my female friends. And some gay men. True. Very much so. They're the seminal factors in our life. They're the ones we can speak with, pour our hearts into, learn from. When we're heartbroken, we go to them. They help us grow. And so to be able to build a friendship and a relationship with Ari has been really one of the most incredible things I've taken from this. You don't get to do that very often. And you taught me this term. I was privileged enough to work with her and she said, there's this thing and it's the electric connection. And when you have it, you have it. And all I've seen from you two is the electric connection. Is it true that she is as touchy? Yes. I'm so touchy. People have to warn me. They're like, back off a little bit. And I'm like, why? But I'm like the welcoming Capricorn that's like, I love you, you can touch. I think I'm sort of used to it now. I'm sort of, if it's not connected, I'm like, what's wrong? What's happening? Where are you? You know what I mean? We always end up, we walk hand in hand very often. Like if we're not walking hand in hand, we'll find each other somewhere. Because physical connection, you know, I'm single, I'm not dating anyone. I don't have that in my life. But I don't know how I would ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling. I think we get a bit afraid of physical connection. I think we assume that physical connection can only be romantic. Yes, that's my point. You're saying it so much better than I did. You know what I mean? In fact, I think when there is a romantic connection, I'm far more timid. Well, that's the thing. I think we don't realize that how we communicate sometimes is by physical touch. Like sometimes you can't say anything and you're in a room and you're like, I just, it's just like a squeeze of the hand. And that's sometimes how she and I communicate. We might be talking to someone or I might need to like communicate something to her and it's just a squeeze of the hand or just like a pinch of her finger, you know, or a hug. It just, you know, whatever we, however we need to communicate it's how we need to communicate. And I think we don't give enough credit to how we communicate with our friends physically. Yes. And I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world. Yeah. Speaking of the theater. Yes. You went to see Wicked. I did. When you were 25. When I was 25, I took myself on a solo date. That's my favorite detail because I love doing things by myself. I love it too. People are very afraid of that, you know. I need a book. I'll take myself to dinner. All the time. Happily, I'll go to lunch. I'll go to a bookstore, whatever it is with nothing in mind, just on my own. That I think there's something really lovely about being able to be with yourself as well. And to look around. Yeah, just like actually see things. And the weird conversations you strike up with people. I love. I always end up talking to strangers, always. And I learn everything about them, always. And I think there's something that is quite thrilling about learning about people that you've never met before. Well, we have to go to a quick break. And when we come back, I want to ask you the fun questions. The get to know you questions. I love those the most. We'll be right back. From both Cynthia Erivo. Okay, here we go. May I ask you a few fun questions? Yes, please. Okay, good. What is your favorite thing to cook? I don't necessarily eat meat, but I'm very good at making a good salmon, like a jerk salmon with some good vegetables. Jerk salmon. Yeah, you have to make sure the spices are on it first. Pink, cooked through. I like it cooked through. Me too! But just cooked through. Not too, we don't want it to be rubber. I know, I do like a little leathery. Okay, what song do you have on repeat right now, may I ask? There's a Kendrick Lamar song called, thank you, The Gardener, I think it's called. The Gardener. I think it's called, is it called The Gardener? Who knows what it might be called? Say again? Man in the Garden, that's the one. Thank you. Man in the Garden. My daughter loves Kendrick Lamar, she'll be so thrilled to hear it. Okay, is there another Broadway musical that you think of in history that you're like, I would go on a date with myself to that and dream about maybe one day? I think, it keeps coming up, so maybe I'm just gonna go with it. Aida. Ah, well, yeah. I feel like it might be really obvious, but I think it's that, or Sweet Charity. Oh my God, what else would you like to see in films? I'd love to see how varied we can be as people. I think sometimes we're afraid to see us as villains, and we're afraid to see the complications that comes from as a villain, and I think that's probably come from playing this particular character. There's more behind the veil, you know? You proved that. Right? This is the most complex, layered, unarchetypal approach and performance I've ever seen in my life. Thank you. You know what, there's another thing. There is an era in film where there were lots of women in action, and that sort of has gone a little bit. I want it back, because I want to do more, yeah. Interesting. But I wouldn't give. Truly. I have. It's time. You have a night? You have a night, do you? I do. You should. Come on. Okay. By the way, this is exactly how my girlfriends and I talk. Okay, what would you say to teenage Cynthia, which is a question I've sometimes gotten myself, and I always feel like I don't really know how to answer it, and yet the older I'm getting, the more ideas I'm getting about what I would say. I think I would say to Cynthia, just keep going. You got it. Don't worry about the mistakes you make. They'll help. They'll push you in the right direction. Don't be so hard on yourself. Yeah. Okay, you've been traveling a lot lately. Do you have a certain packing situation that you do? Yes, I figure out the outfits that I'm going to take with me. I am not a light packer at all. No one wants to be. I will pack three suitcases for two days, because just in case. Oh, I love it. And that is, you love, because you think it's an exaggeration. It's not an exaggeration. I pack for every eventuality. And I heard you bring a teapot with you? I bring a lot of things with me. I bring a humidifier sometimes. It's a little mini humidifier. Must keep the voice intact. I do bring a, there's like a, it's like a cup, but it turns into a teacup, so you can warm it up. There's an, it's called Ember. Oh yeah, I know the Ember. I got it from one of my best friends. It's perfect. Her name is Ember. Oh my goodness. Right? And she likes coffee. That's what I'm saying. So it warms the tea up. Yes. Okay, I want to close this conversation out with talking about the Ebony cover, which is the pathbreaker of the year. Thank you. What were you thinking when, because I've had these moments in life where I'm, you get onto the set, there's a bunch of people there. It's, you're looking down the barrel of the lens and like this thought comes to you and it forms your expression, because you're thinking about something in your life that led to this moment. May I ask, did you have that? Because it's such a big deal. I think whenever I have those situations, because shooting a cover and having those opportunities, they still don't feel real, almost. And this one's about something. Yeah, it's a big, it's a big thing to be called a pathbreaker, you know? And I guess my brain was sort of like, I'm glad that I can create something different, a new path for people to come down when they want to come into this business. For young girls that look like me to come down a different path, to try something different, you know, that has a path that hasn't been walked before and that I can lead the way down that, you know? We changed course. We changed direction. To me, it's all the tone that that path is set in. And I think that you have set a path that is so warm and welcoming, but so strong and badass. And just, it's like the film itself. It is tonally message-wise and a conveying gift to everyone that is as perfect as it gets. And it is a testament to everything that you brought to it. And I'm just so happy for you. And I can't wait for the next one. Thank you.