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Over the years, a number of movie musicals have won Best Picture. Now there is another possible candidate to join that list Badwhich broke records when it was released in theaters. The Bad The cast list is headed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, although rumors swirled online that there was a whopping $14 million difference between their pay. Fans cried out, but Universal’s response didn’t hold back.

Instead of an unusual musical, Bad is a global blockbuster that fans have been obsessed with for decades. Grande and Erivo cried nonstop while promoting the film, which shows what a strong bond they developed on one set. And after a post on Threads claimed that the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer was paid $15 million, compared to Ervivo’s $1 million, Universal issued a statement to Page Six. It says:

Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder. The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.

There you have it. The studio certainly didn’t mince words and revealed that the two leading actresses of Bad were actually paid the same. While the actual number remains a mystery for now, this should help nip that rumor in the bud… especially since Grande and Erivo will be promoting the second one. Bad movie before we know it.

The talk about Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s rumored salaries set the internet on fire, especially since Elphaba is the clear lead in the film. Although Universal made it clear that they were actually paid the same, some fans thought that Grande may have been paid more since she was forced to take time off from her caregiver as a pop star. Finally her most recent album Eternal sunshine probably didn’t get a tour thanks to her Bad obligations.

Debate about the hierarchy of BadThe series’ two main characters have been going strong since the show debuted on Broadway. Both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were nominated in the Best Lead Actress category at the Tony Awards, with Menzel taking home the statue that year. For the first film, it has been reported that Erivo will be nominated as lead actress, while Grande will go for supporting role. We’ll have to see if this changes for the second film.

This ongoing discourse about Bad shows just how much Jon M. Chu’s film has taken the pop culture landscape by storm. The musical film was a critical and box office success (see CinemaBlend’s Bad review here), and the audience is already counting down the days Part two coming next year. And now that the rumored payment is out of the way, fans may feel guilty about how much they enjoyed the first film.

Bad is in theaters now, and Part two follows on November 21, 2025. For now, check out the films’ 2025 release dates.