I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop holding space for the Wicked press tour. It was just too unhinged, too emotional, too much theatre kid energy turned to the max. I say all this as a proud (okay, proud most of the time) theatre kid myself. But, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked press tour moments had a level of theatre-kid energy I had never seen on display for the normies before. And now with Ariana and Cynthia’s Wicked performance at the 2025 Oscars, I think we’ve reached peak Wicked press tour.

Even Ari herself has commented on some of the overwrought Wicked press tour moments. In a Variety Actors on Actors interview, Paul Mescal told Ariana that he was paying attention to the press tour and thought she and Cynthia are “obviously in love with each other.” To that, Ariana, always one to keep it real, responded, “Insufferable. Yes. We’re horrible. It’s bad.” I don’t know if I would call the Wicked press tour “insufferable,” exactly. It’s more that I just could never look away, and these moments are burned in my brain forever. So, before the tour ends for good (see what I did there?) it’s time to look back at some of the biggest Wicked press tour moments. We can all revel in them until it all starts up again for the second Wicked movie this fall.

Best Wicked Press Tour Moments

Holding Space For Defying Gravity

Image Credit: Lia Toby / Contributor via Getty Images

We have to start this list with the most iconic Wicked press tour moment of all. During an Out Magazine interview, journalist Tracey Gilchrist uttered the one of the most important quotes of our lifetime: “This week, people are taking the lyrics of “Defying Gravity”and really holding space with that, and feeling power in that.”

Cynthia and Ariana reacted like they had never heard anything so profound before, and then there was the finger hold. The finger hold! Ariana and Cynthia were touching each other in nearly every interview, and when Cynthia got emotional about holding space, Ari made sure to at the very least hold onto Cynthia’s finger to show her support.

Ariana Tries To Shoo Away A Helicopter

There were a lot of tears throughout all the Wicked press tour interviews, and lots of Ariana and Cynthia comforting each other in very touchy-feely ways. But Ari took it to another level when she tried to shoo away a helicopter that dared to interrupt Cynthia’s tears during an outdoor interview. “Not the time, helicopter” is a quote I truly think about a lot.

Ariana’s Reaction To An Arianator

The focus of the Wicked press tour was obviously Wicked, and not the actors’ previous endeavors. But one reporter couldn’t help but tell Ari that not only are they an Arianator, but they met basically everyone in their life because of being her fan. Ariana became a reaction GIF in real time.

Glinda Comes Out As Queer

Fans of the original musical Wicked have speculated that Elphaba and Glinda are more than just friends for years, and Ariana gave those rumors way more life. During one interview, she very confidently said Glinda “might be a little in the closet” and told fans to just “give it time.”

Cynthia and Ariana’s Matching Tattoos

The Wicked movie set was clearly a huge bonding experience for Cynthia, Ariana, and the whole cast. So it makes sense that Cynthia and Ariana commemorating the experience with matching tattoos. The part I can’t stop thinking about it that they got not one, not two, but multiple matching Wicked tattoos, including secret ones that they won’t even share with the public. Who knows, maybe they’re saving the secret tattoo reveal for the next press tour.