10 like 9 dislike
in General Factchecking by Newbie (490 points)
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.
by Newbie (240 points)
5 0
The claim that Ariana Grande was paid 15 times more than Cynthia Erivo for their roles in "Wicked" is unfounded. A Universal Pictures spokesperson 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.'" (People, 2024).
This clarification addresses rumors that Grande earned $15 million while Erivo received $1 million. Such claims have been debunked by official sources, confirming that both actresses received equal compensation for their roles. (Screen Rant, 2024)

In summary, the assertion of a significant pay disparity between Grande and Erivo in "Wicked" is inaccurate, as both were paid equally for their performances.

https://people.com/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-equal-pay-for-wicked-roles-8752249?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://screenrant.com/wicked-movie-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-salary-pay-dispute-explained-universal-response/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
ago by (170 points)
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I agree with this claim, Mirror is an unreliable source. Hello Magazine, a well known and respected source also debunked that this claim is false. The same quote from People, was also used in their article.
ago by (150 points)
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The sources used in the post may not have been trustworthy. Many sources including CNN and People have debunked the rumor proving that is it is false and both actors were paid appropriately.
ago by (130 points)
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People cam out with an article that proved this rumor to not be true. They said that Ariana and Cynthia got paid the same amount of money for this movie. The actors pay was never disclosed to the cast or to the public. These were just rumors that fans spread around.
ago by (140 points)
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The claim that Ariana Grande was paid 15 times more than Cynthia Erivo for Wicked is unverified. The source of the claim, The Mirror, has not provided credible evidence to back up the salary figures, and no reputable entertainment outlets have confirmed them. As such, this claim should be regarded with skepticism until more reliable sources come forward.
ago by (190 points)
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This was a great response, and was easily understandable. You also mentioned clear sources debunking the information, which clearly debunks the misinformation being spread. The difference between 15-1 ratio vs equally paid is quite a significantly different number, so this was important work!
ago by (110 points)
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This factcheck is very effective and thorough, they disprove the original claim which was made using information from a gossip site as a source. I really appreciate that they use more than one source and also pull direct quotes from people who are high up in the company and heavily involved in the financial situation which is being discussed.

12 Answers

9 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.1k points)
selected ago by
 
Best answer
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/
by Novice (720 points)
1 0
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!
by Apprentice (1.4k points)
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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.
ago by Newbie (220 points)
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This fact check is very well done because it is quick and to the point. I appreciate the swiftness of the fact check because it did not need too much since Universal came out and denied it. I also like how you mentioned how social media was the original cause of the rumor, as it normally is.
ago by (150 points)
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This factcheck is straight to the point, I like how you included that the rumors had spread on social media and biased news outlets had jumped on the train to continue to spread the false allegations. I would suggest a more credible source than Hollywood Reporter, I found the same article on CNN claiming these rumors were false. As they reached out to Universal to make a comment on these allegations. But great work!
ago by (160 points)
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I think this fact-check was good. They got straight to the point of the information being false and named multiple sources from which this alleged rumor had come.
ago by (150 points)
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I agree that Tik Tok and Reddit both spread the rumors very fast. It took the news sources a little bit of time to catch up with the rumor and get the story straight. But they did catch up and made sure that users know that both actresses were paid the same.
ago by (180 points)
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I think this fact-check was well done. I like how you were straight to the point as the information was false. I think if you included another credible source this would be a bit stronger. Good work!
ago by (180 points)
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This fact check is to the point aswell as simple, which I enjoyed. I wanted to know why you used Hollywood Reports as the source? I believe if you added a more reliable source it would make it a stronger response! Well done!
3 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (470 points)

The pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana, is False. It's speculation from Reddit, then went to TikTok and X. The rumor started, from fanbases arguing that Cynthia was paid millions of dollars less then Ari because she is a person of color. It started a feud across media platforms, as the "arianators" claiming that she deserves to get paid more because she is the bigger star, and will give the film more publicity. A spokesperson for Universal said, “The women received equal pay for their work on '‘Wicked.’”

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/27/entertainment/cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-wicked-pay/index.html

Exaggerated/ Misleading
ago by (150 points)
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Great factcheck! I like how you included the article from a trusted source like CNN, I also thought this was a great source to debunk those claims. However I would suggest pulling back on the claims that were found on social media about why Cynthia was paid less because she was a person of color, if you don't know a source of where that is from. While social media is full of different opinions, it's best to make sure you have a post to back up those claims before you add those in your factcheck. Other than that, great work!
ago by (170 points)
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I agree with you that the pay rumors are false and used a quote that I have seen in Hello Magazine, People, and CNN. The rumors were falsely spread over those platforms, but I have not seen anyone discussing the reasoning being she is a person of color. From my source, https://nypost.com/2024/11/26/entertainment/universal-denies-wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-pay-gap/. It was hinted that the accusations went further and included other actors/actresses that have more fame than Cynthia Eviro does.
ago by (180 points)
0 0
Great reasoning behind the fake news you just clarified. I have seen this information on different social media and immediately thought this cannot be true but your proof with included CNN article makes so much sense. There is definitely no reason to assume she could be paid less because she's a person of color. The fanbase that Ariana Grande has is falsely creating negative atmosphere.
4 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (430 points)
The pay disparity between the two actors was debunked as 'internet chatter' according to production company Universal Studios spokesperson. Universal Studios was responsible for the release of the movie Wicked and claimed that both women were paid equally. This information can be found via sources such as Variety and CNN, both reputable news sources. Additionally, this news source pulled direct quotes from the spokesperson from the production company. The website used, mirror.co.uk, is a gossip website that releases information with very little reputable evidence. Below I've attached the articles from Variety and CNN that provide factual evidence.

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-wicked-equal-pay-1236223851/

https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a63023892/wicked-ariana-grande-paid-more-cynthia-erivo-rumor-explained/
False
ago by (140 points)
0 0
This fact-check is very well written, you responded to the original claim providing credible sources while explaining the lack of credibility from the original source. I appreciate your incorporation of the studio's response to the claim as it is definitely considered to be one of the most credible sources (excluding the actresses of course). It's straightforward with accessible additional sources to back the refutation.
ago by Newbie (200 points)
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I like your fact-check because it's straight to the point and touches on where credible sources can be found. I appreciate how you mentioned Universal's response and role in this situation and pointed out how the website mirror.co.uk doesn't seem like a reputable source as it's a gossip site.
ago by Newbie (200 points)
0 0
You've done a great job here providing a well-supported response. Referencing reputable sources like Variety and CNN and direct quotes from the Universal Studios spokesperson adds significant credibility to your argument. Your explanation of mirror.co.uk as a gossip site also effectively contextualizes the misinformation. Including links to the articles was a great touch, as it allows others to verify the information themselves and engages the discussion further.
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (290 points)
A spokesperson for Universal said in a statement shared with several outlets. “The women received equal pay for their work on 'Wicked.'

- https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/27/entertainment/cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-wicked-pay/index.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CReports%20of%20pay%20disparity%20between,'%E2%80%9D
False
ago by (140 points)
0 0
This is a good fact-check as it does provide a credible source refuting the original claim. However, I would suggest adding another source just for extra credibility with an expansion on the text going more into depth as to why the original claim has been proven false. Overall, your fact-check is great and CNN is a highly credible source proven to have trustworthy information.
ago by (110 points)
0 0
This is a well written fact-check thats does use a credible source to refute the claim made. I would recommend adding a bit more on how the source is credible maybe quoting the source as well. Just to give readers a preview on what the article states. But overall, its a good fact-check.
ago by Newbie (200 points)
0 0
I like how straight to the point your comment is, however, I think you should provide some context and add some original thought to expand on this topic. Otherwise, I think CNN is a credible source and you get straight to the answer.
6 like 0 dislike
by Novice (810 points)
edited by

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, a Universal spokesperson said the rumors of pay disparity between Grande and Erivo are false. Additionally, the article linked to this post does not confirm any validity of the leaked salary list circulating on social media, nor does not source the list. It also names the $15 million to Grande and $1 million to Erivo as "rumored salaries."

The Hollywood Reporter is the primary source who obtained a statement from the Universal Spokesperson: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-paid-equal-1236071760/

ago by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
I think that this is a good written fact-check, providing a credible source which refuted the claim. Something I liked about this was that you not only provided the statement from the source but you also provided insight that recognizes how the source did not do certain things making your fact-check easier for readers to understand what is going on.
2 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (220 points)

This article claims that the two stars in Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, had a massive pay discrepancy between them. After investigating and doing my further research I found that Universal Pictures themselves made an official statement addressing the rumors saying that “The women received equal pay for their work on 'WICKED.” They also stated that this was just another “internet fodder” incident. I found numerous trusted sources backing the Universal Pictures claim, many of which contacted Universal for the information, such as ABC and CNN. Both companies are competitors of Universal Pictures, making it even more likely that the pay between the two stars was equal.

False
1 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (200 points)

This has been debunked by many reputable sources such as Billboard, People, CNN, and most importantly, Universal Pictures, which produced Wicked. A Universal spokesperson stated that Cynthia and Ariana received equal pay for their work. On top of this, the site linked to this rumor, mirror.co.uk, does not seem like a legitimate source of news based on clickbaity similar articles and the type of ads on the website. The rumor started on social media platforms like X, Reddit, and TikTok and was picked up by gossip news outlets. There is no reputable source that supports this claim.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/27/entertainment/cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-wicked-pay/index.html

https://people.com/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-equal-pay-for-wicked-roles-8752249#:~:text=Ariana%20Grande%20and%20Cynthia%20Erivo%20received%20the%20same%20paydays%20for,and%20based%20on%20internet%20fodder.

False
0 like 0 dislike
ago by (140 points)

This claim is false. The claim that Ariana Grande was paid $14 million more than Cynthia Erivo was denied by Universal Pictures and they stated that both actresses were paid equally. The original claim was widely spread on the internet causing many rumours however the film studio themselves have denied all rumors to hollywood reporters.

In conclusion, Ariana Grande was not paid $14 million more than actress Cynthia Erivo for the movie "Wicked". This rumor was caused by social media users who did not know the original facts.

https://nypost.com/2024/11/26/entertainment/universal-denies-wicked-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-pay-gap/

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

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

False
0 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (320 points)

After uproar from people across the world, Universal Studio gave a rare statement reviewing the financials of the movie. In this statement, they cleared the air about the pay dispute between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo by saying "Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder," they then confirmed, “The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.”(Forbes, 2024) Universal Studio declined to say the exact amount these actresses were paid, though it clears the air about the supposed 15 times more money Grande earned on the movie.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2024/12/02/wickeds-spellbinding-pay-packets-revealed/

about https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/27/entertainment/cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-wicked-pay/index.html 

False
1 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (240 points)
After assessing the website provided, the first thing I noticed was that Mirror appears to be untrustworthy and not credited. A Universal Studio Spokesperson spoke up about this rumor, stating, "Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work and Wicked (Deadline, 2024.) These false claims have been debunked in multiple respected articles I found, many of which mentioned quotes from the Universal Studios spokesperson directly. Based on this information, it is safe to say that both girls were paid equally for their roles in Wicked.
False
ago by Newbie (210 points)
0 0
This fact-check is very well done and I especially like how you elaborated on the original source itself and the lack of credibility that goes with it. I would like to see the links to the articles that were found since it's always good for people to have a way to check for themselves. Although some other peoples' answers on this do include several articles which I think you may be referring to.

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