A man has been charged in Singapore with being a public nuisance after grabbing Ariana Grande at a premiere of Wicked: For Good. Johnson Wen, 26, an Australian citizen, appeared in court following the incident at Universal Studios Singapore on Thursday night.
Video footage shows Wen jumping over a red carpet barricade and rushing towards Grande. Her co-star Cynthia Erivo immediately intervened to protect her, and Wen was moved away by security. Local media have reported that Wen intends to plead guilty and could be fined up to S$2,000 (£1,168).
Wen regularly posts on Instagram under the name pyjamamann, where his videos show him invading concert stages, including those of Katy Perry and the Weeknd. The footage of his approach to Grande has prompted widespread backlash, with many commenters describing his actions as a criminal offence.
The incident occurred during the final stages of the publicity tour for the sequel, which is released on 21 November. The review embargo lifts on Tuesday, and early reaction has suggested that Grande and Erivo could receive repeat Oscar nominations.
Red carpet invasions have become increasingly uncommon as security has tightened. In 2007, podcaster Cielke Sijben handcuffed herself to Hugh Grant at a premiere. In 2014, Bradley Cooper was accosted by a Ukrainian prankster, and in 2012, Kim Kardashian was flour-bombed at a perfume launch.
