Video shows Cynthia Erivo defending herself against a man who grabs Ariana Grande in
A fan of the movie adaptation of “Wicked” apparently decided to defy more than just gravity.
As they walked the yellow brick carpet Thursday at the “Wicked: For Good” premiere in Singapore, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh were soaking in the moment, but what was supposed to be a celebratory appearance took an unprecedented turn. As the stars walked past a crowd of excited fans, an attendee, dressed in a white shirt and shorts, appeared to run toward Grande.
As the shocking incident unfolded, Erivo sprang into action to protect her friend and co-star. The individual appeared to put his arm around Grande and began jumping up and down until security arrived to remove him.
Scott A. Garfitt via News
The enthusiastic fan was later identified as social media influencer Johnson Wen, known on social media as a “stage invader” with the username Pyjamamann. A video of the incident was posted on her page with the caption: “Dear Ariana Grande, thank you for letting me jump on the yellow carpet with you ❤️.”
However, social media users had a different opinion about the video.
“You literally assaulted her. This is not a push-up, it’s a crime. What a shame!” one user wrote.
“Do you think this is okay?” another account commented. “This is sick! He ruined the experience for the fans who dreamed of this moment and put lives at risk. All for pure ego! Get help.”
Wen pulled a similar stunt in June on singer Katy Perry, who appeared visibly alarmed and uncomfortable when he ran toward her while she was on stage at his show in Sydney, Australia, for her Lifetimes tour.
After security arrived to remove Wen from the stage, Perry told the crowd, “Well, there will never be another show like this, so enjoy it, Sydney.”
Police said Wen was arrested and charged in connection with the Perry incident and, according to NBC News, was scheduled to appear in court in June.