Ariana Grande was paid 15 times more than Cynthia Erivo for her role in "Wicked"

Question

According to a leaked salary list of the actors from the new hit musical-movie adaptation "Wicked", Ariana Grande was paid $15 million for her supporting role, while Cynthia Erivo, the star, was only paid $1 million.

Answer 1

These rumors were started on TikTok and Reddit, and quickly spread. The Hollywood Reporter talked to a Universal spokesperson who stated, "Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-paid-equal-1236071760/

Comments

factcheck is short and straight to the point, which I prefer. I agree with you that this is not much more than a rumor meant to grab people's attention, but when it comes to factchecking I would suggest using a more credible source to back your factcheck up (the Hollywood Reporter is probably not the most sound resource). I would like to see more analysis on the actual source of the claim and maybe even something on how/why the rumor started. Happy factchecking!

---

This fact check is very well done and straight to the point. I appreciate how you acknowledged where the unequal pay rumor was coming from and how it had spread, and then found a credible source to disprove it.