Oscar Voters Point to 'Creepy' Promotional Displays as Reason for Grande and Erivo Snub
The absence of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo from the 2026 Oscar nominations for their roles in Wicked: For Good has sparked considerable discussion, with one anonymous voter now asserting that their overly affectionate press tour behaviour "creeped a lot of people out." This revelation offers a candid insight into the factors influencing Academy voting decisions beyond mere cinematic performance.
Voter Criticism of Promotional Performances
According to an anonymous source speaking with News Nation, Oscar voters were reportedly put off by the pair's displays during the promotional tour for the film, which generated multiple viral moments. The voter stated, "The movie wasn’t that great. The two have amazing on-screen chemistry but spent most of the movie apart." They further elaborated, "I was also just completely turned off by their promotional performances. They creeped a lot of people out and in their rush to feel authentic, came off as cosplaying."
Daily Mail has contacted representatives from The Academy for comment on these claims but has not yet received a response. Grande, aged 32, portrayed the supporting role of Glinda in this follow-up to the 2024 film Wicked, while Erivo, 39, took on the lead role of Elphaba.
Red Carpet Moments and Fan Concerns
In addition to the criticism of their promotional conduct, the actresses' noticeable weight loss during the press tour raised concerns among fans. Another voter quoted by the outlet remarked, "The movie wasn’t that good and [Erivo and Grande] sucked the air out of any red carpet they were on — and no one wanted to go through that again." The voter added, "Think of it this way: We were protecting Ariana from her anxiety — and Cynthia from having to intervene. Again."
Despite the Oscar snub, Grande did receive a nomination at the 2026 Golden Globes, though she did not win the award. The promotional period was not without its incidents, as in November, a fan ambushed Grande at the Singapore premiere of the film, leading Erivo to step in as her protector. The individual involved was later identified as Johnson Wen, known as @PyjamaMann on Instagram.
Memorable Interview Moments and Public Reaction
Days prior to that event, Grande and Erivo were teased online for gushing over each other's "auras" during an interview in Paris with an Elle magazine journalist. Grande described Erivo's aura as "yellow," like "sunshine," and added, "I think there's also purple." Erivo, in turn, said about Grande, "I see, like a ciel blue, you know? Like aqua. And like, sunset-orange."
Following this red carpet moment, one person commented on Reddit, "I can't go through this again," referencing the actresses' previous press run moments from 2024 that were deemed "cringeworthy" by some observers.
2024 Interview Highlight and Online Mockery
One of the most memorable interview highlights from 2024 occurred when Grande, during an interview with journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist for Out Magazine, clasped Erivo's index finger in an emotional display of support. This happened as Erivo became visibly moved upon learning that people online were discussing the lyrics of Defying Gravity from Wicked and feeling empowered by them.
Erivo responded, "I didn't know that was happening. That's really powerful. That's what I wanted." As she spoke, Grande, who also became choked up, reached over and grabbed her friend's pointer finger. This exchange was widely mocked on the internet, with one person on X asking, "What was this?" alongside a screenshot, and another commenting, "Is this a sketch comedy show or something?"
The actresses' promotional strategy, while intended to showcase their genuine friendship and chemistry, ultimately appears to have backfired in the eyes of some Oscar voters, contributing to their exclusion from the 2026 nominations list.
