Ariana Grande has explained why she is very tactile towards Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo in a new interview.
Grande and Erivo are currently promoting the newly released film, Wicked: For Good, which sees them reprise their roles as Elphaba and Glinda for one last time, which, of course, means plenty more viral moments of the actors being very touchy-feely with one another.
The actors' red carpet behaviour has been a major talking point during the press tours of Wicked and Wicked: For Good, following the infamous 'holding space' finger hold – and the past couple of weeks haven't let us down.
We've seen Grande skip interviews in solidarity with Erivo when she fell ill (according to Variety) and Erivo act as a bodyguard for the '7 Rings' singer when she was ambushed by a fan in Singapore.
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So why are they so tactile with each other?
According to Grande, it's just how she expresses herself.
"I channel a lot of energy through my hands," the 32-year-old explained to Amy Poehler on her Good Hang podcast. "I’m always holding a hand, I’m always squeezing something. As you’ve learned, I’m always reaching for something.
"It’s often who I’m with. I like to channel, support, and energy."
The Victorious star went on to explain that it wasn't something she realised until the reaction to her and Erivo's 'holding space' moment.
Poehler went on to ask why Grande had decided to grab her co-star's pinky finger at that moment, prompting her to reveal she 'just wanted to be supportive' to Erivo in that moment.
"I knew it was tender and sincere and beautiful," the singer added, referring to Erivo learning that fans had resonated with her song 'Defying Gravity' in the first film.
"I just wanted to be supportive."
Erivo has also spoken about her bond with Grande, telling NBC News that their friendship was 'long-lasting'.
"We're kind of like sisters at this moment in time, you know? And I think we've both learnt from each other and given each other some really, really beautiful gifts," she said. "We've really looked after each other through this."
She also addressed Grande's love for physical touch in a 2024 interview, saying the singer is the type of person who needs physical contact when she's experiencing emotion.
"Ari needs contact when there’s emotion,” the 38-year-old explained. "She needs to be close, so I just be there with her for a second."
Topics: Ariana Grande, Celebrity, TV and Film, Film, Entertainment
Brenna Cooper