If you spent any time on TikTok or Reddit lately, you probably saw that one graphic. You know the one—the one claiming Ariana Grande made a cool $15 million for playing Glinda while Cynthia Erivo, the literal lead of the movie, walked away with a measly $1 million. It’s the kind of thing that makes you want to throw your phone across the room. People were rightfully livid.
But here is the thing about internet "leaks": they’re often just total nonsense.
The truth about how much did Cynthia get paid for Wicked is actually way more interesting than a simple pay gap story. It involves secret pacts, high-stakes negotiations, and a studio that had to scramble to shut down a PR nightmare.
The Viral Rumor vs. The Reality
Let’s get the fake numbers out of the way first. That $1 million to $15 million discrepancy? It’s fake. Totally made up. It seems to have originated from a site called Showbiz Galore, which, quite frankly, looks like it was written by a bot having a bad day.
Universal Pictures didn’t just let this one slide. Usually, studios stay quiet about paychecks, but the backlash was so loud they actually issued a formal statement to The Hollywood Reporter. They called the rumors "internet fodder" and stated, point-blank, that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande received equal pay.
Honestly, it makes sense. Can you imagine the optics of paying your Oscar-nominated Black lead 15 times less than her co-star in 2026? It would have been a career-ending move for the executives involved.
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Why people believed it anyway
It wasn’t just random hate. There’s a long, ugly history in Hollywood of Black actresses being underpaid compared to their white counterparts. Look at Taraji P. Henson’s recent public heartbreak over her pay for The Color Purple. People saw the "leaked" Wicked numbers and thought, "Yep, here we go again."
But Cynthia and Ariana weren’t having it.
The "Secret" Contract Pact
In an interview with Variety, the two stars dropped a bit of a bombshell. They didn't just hope the studio would be fair; they basically acted as their own union.
Cynthia mentioned they were "really fucking honest" with each other about their numbers. They literally called each other up, shared their contract terms, and made sure they were aligned. Ariana backed this up, saying that once they became "sisters" during filming, her needs became Cynthia’s needs and vice versa.
- They compared base salaries.
- They discussed backend points (that's the money they make if the movie hits certain box office goals).
- They made sure neither was getting a raw deal on the press tour requirements.
When stars of this caliber talk to each other, the studio loses its leverage. It's much harder to lowball an actress when she knows exactly what the person in the trailer next to her is making.
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Breaking Down the Likely Numbers
While Universal won't give us the exact receipts, we can look at industry standards for a $150 million blockbuster to estimate how much did Cynthia get paid for Wicked.
For a production of this scale, leading actors typically land somewhere in the $5 million to $10 million range upfront. Because Wicked was split into two parts, these contracts are often "bundled." Cynthia isn't just getting paid for the first movie; she’s locked in for the sequel, Wicked: Part Two, which usually means a bigger payday overall.
Then there are the bonuses. Since the movie absolutely crushed it at the box office—opening to over $160 million globally—Cynthia is likely sitting on a massive "performance bonus."
And don't forget the music. As a Tony and Grammy winner, Cynthia’s voice is half the product. Every time you stream "Defying Gravity" or "For Good," there’s a complex web of royalties hitting her bank account.
What about the rest of the cast?
There were other rumors flying around about the supporting cast, like Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero) or Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard). Some "leaks" claimed Bailey only made $350,000.
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While supporting roles always pay less, that number seems suspiciously low for a guy coming off the massive success of Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers. In reality, most high-level supporting actors in a franchise like this would be in the high six figures or low millions.
Why This Matters for Hollywood’s Future
The reason people are so obsessed with how much did Cynthia get paid for Wicked isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s about the shift in how power works in film.
For decades, the "don't talk about your salary" rule kept pay gaps wide open. By being "really fucking honest," Erivo and Grande broke that rule. It’s a blueprint for other actors. If the two biggest stars on a set are a united front, the studio has to play fair.
Cynthia has been very vocal about how hard she’s had to work to prove her worth. She’s an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner. She’s one Oscar away from an EGOT. The fact that she had to manually verify her pay with her co-star shows that even at the top, the system is still a bit broken.
What You Should Watch For Next
The conversation isn't over yet. With Wicked: Part Two scheduled for late 2025/early 2026, those contracts might even get renegotiated if the first film continues its record-breaking run.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve on this, keep an eye on:
- The Soundtrack Charts: The higher the songs climb, the bigger Cynthia's "backend" check becomes.
- The Awards Season: If Cynthia lands an Oscar for this, her "quote" (what she charges for her next movie) will skyrocket into the $15M+ range officially.
- Official Financial Reports: Sometimes, SEC filings or production audits for big studios like Universal leak more concrete data about "talent costs."
Stop trusting the TikTok graphics. The real story here isn't a pay gap—it's a massive win for transparency and two women refusing to let a studio pit them against each other.