Erivo immediately pushed the intruder away as security intervened.
Grande was struck during the confrontation before guards restrained the man, identified as online prankster Johnson Wen, also known as ‘Pyjama Man.’ He has since been jailed for nine days.
Hours later, Wen posted a selfie pointing at a Grande poster, writing: “I finally met Ariana Grande tonight.”
At a Screen Actors Guild screening in Los Angeles days later, Erivo reflected on the ordeal, saying: “I mean, f***, even this last week.
“Let’s be honest, for f***’s sakes, we’ve had to really deal with some stuff, and this movie has allowed us to really grow as people, as friends, as sisters, as artists, as actresses.”
Ariana Grande responds to concerns about her weight
Grande recently went viral after becoming emotional during an interview on Oui Oui Baguette, where she was asked about beauty standards and pressure on women to look perfect.
Tearing up, she said: “I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all. I’ve heard every version of it – of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.”
She compared online criticism to everyday comments people hear: “Even if you go to Thanksgiving dinner, and someone’s granny says, ‘Oh my God, you look skinnier! What happened?’ or ‘You look heavier! What happened?’”
Grande said people have become too comfortable commenting on others’ bodies: “There is a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all – commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes or health or how they present themselves.”
She added that she now protects her mental wellbeing: “It’s not welcome. I have work to do, I have a life to live, I have friends to love on… and it’s not invited, so I don’t leave space for it anymore.”
Offering advice to others facing similar comments, she said: “If you gotta block people, I don’t care if you have to delete the app entirely – you keep yourself safe because no one has the right to say s***.”
Grande previously addressed speculation in a 2023 TikTok, saying: “The body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body.
“I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly… that in fact wasn’t my healthiest.”
Ariana Grande issues sad health update
The singer confirmed that the diagnosis is Covid, marking another setback in the Wicked press cycle.
Grande has previously tested positive at separate times during filming of the first movie, along with her co-star, Erivo.
Following the diagnosis, Grande withdrew from a pre-taped appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where she was due to appear alongside Erivo. Erivo went ahead without her.
Grande will also miss several upcoming Q&A events tied to the film’s release.