Ariana Grande faced a scary moment on the red carpet at the Singapore premiere on Thursday. Wicked: For GoodSuddenly, a fan rushed towards her.
Video from the event shows Grande, who plays Glinda, walking with co-stars Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum at Universal Studios Singapore. A man wearing a white shirt and shorts lunged at Grande and grabbed her by the shoulders, making her flinch.
Cynthia Erivo jumps out to protect Grande
Erivo, who plays Elphaba, reacted immediately, stepping between Grande and the man and appearing to scream at him as security intervened. While Grande took several deep breaths and was clearly shaken by the encounter, Yoh also approached and offered comfort.
The man was later identified as Johnson Wen, known online as “Pajama Man.” Wen became famous for disrupting celebrity events, including stage-storming Katy Perry’s 2025 show and disrupting The Weeknd’s concert. He posted a video of the incident on Instagram with the caption: “Dear Ariana Grande, thank you for letting me ride the yellow carpet with you ❤️”
Painful memories of Grande
The incident likely brought back difficult memories for Grande, who has spoken openly about surviving the 2017 Manchester concert bombing that killed 22 people. in 2018 british vogue In an interview, she revealed the lasting effects of her PTSD and anxiety, and explained the difficulty in speaking about her experiences without giving in.
She also revealed that she continues to struggle with anxiety, which she said peaked after her 2017 tour. Grande has been widely praised for speaking openly about her mental health, highlighting the gravity of the unexpected public confrontation.
Reminds you of security challenges
Incidents like this highlight the unpredictable nature of red carpet events and the importance of celebrity safety precautions. The quick actions of Grande’s colleagues, especially Erivo’s protective intervention, helped prevent a potentially more serious situation.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
