Gelphie fans, wake up! Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have a message for you!
On 10 November, the world of Oz descended upon the streets of London for the thrillifying premiere of Wicked: For Good.
The lavish event, which featured an incredible yellow-brick-road carpet, drew tons of fans and showstopping appearances from the film’s main cast, including Erivo and Grande.
Amid the premiere chaos, GAY TIMES chatted with two talented starlets about all things Wicked: For Good, including the message they had for LGBTQIA+ fans at home.
“We love you, we love you, we love you!” Erivo exclaimed.
Grande echoed similar sentiments, adding that the world of Oz has always been a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Oz has always been a queer place, a safe place for queer people for every different colour of the rainbow, for every body,” she gushed.
“If you read the L Frank Baum books, it’s the truth. You’re safe with us; we love you so much! The gayer the better.”
When asked if they had a message for the Gelphie fans, Erivo and Grande’s faces lit up, with the former cheekily saying, “Oh, we love you too! And thank you for believing in us,” while the latter added: “We love you too! We love you very much!”
@gaytimes Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande love you! At the London premiere of Wicked: For Good, we asked everyone’s favourite witches to share a message for the LGBTQ+ community. And, for the Gelphie stans, they shared a few words just for you 💚🩷 #wicked #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #premiere #gelphie ♬ original sound – GAY TIMES
Gelphie is a long-running femslash ship that passionately supports a romance between Elphaba and Glinda.
Naturally, fans flocked to social media to express their excitement over the pair’s acknowledgement of Gelphie.
One user on X/Twitter wrote: “The way Ariana’s eyes light up at the question, I CAN’T, she is the head of Gelphie fan clubs.”
Another Gelphie enthusiast tweeted: “Whoever the interviewer is that mentioned Gelphie…you will be reincarnated into a lotus flower. Thank you for your service.”
A third fan added: “[Ariana]: “Read the books — it’s the truth’ [Cynthia]: ‘That part.’ Yeah, they’re Gelphie warriors til the end.”
This isn’t the first time Grande and Erivo have opened up to GAY TIMES about their support of Gelphie.
During the first film’s 2024 press tour, the Grammy-winning talents delved into the intricate dynamics of their characters’ close bond.
“I think Elphie is… She goes wherever the wind goes. I think she loves Glinda, I think she loves love. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating the deep connection the both of them have,” said Erivo.
“They do have a real relationship. It is true love, which is probably why people are shipping it. What they build with each other is an unbreakable bond and love.”
Grande continued: “And trust and truth and such a safe space for one another, which is what all relationships should be, whether it’s romantic or platonic.”
The ‘Into You’ singer went on to say that Glinda “might be a little in the closet” and didn’t rule out a future where “Gelphie” is canon in live-action.
“You never know, give it a little more time. It is just a true love, and I think that transcends sexuality. It’s a deep safety within each other and that’s why [fans] probably ship it,” she concluded.
On 21 November, fans worldwide will finally be treated to the exciting conclusion to Jon M Chu’s Wicked film duology, Wicked: For Good.
Based on Act Two of the stage musical, the upcoming film will explore the estranged friendship between Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) after the former reclaims her power and rebels against the villainous Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum).
Elphaba, now in possession of the Grimmerie, continues her mission to expose the Wizard’s deception and champion the rights of Oz’s animals.
Following Madame Morrible’s slander at the end of Part One, however, she has become a social pariah — dubbed “The Wicked Witch of the West.”
At the same time, Glinda has become the “glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz,” living in the Emerald City palace and serving as the friendly spokesperson and defender of the Wizard’s reign.
The synopsis continues: “As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and the Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart.
“The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.”
Watch the final trailer for Wicked: For Good below.
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