A fan charged Ariana Grande on the red carpet at the Singapore premiere of her new movie, Wicked: For Good, on Thursday, November 13. The incident occurred as Grande was posing for photos with her co-stars.
What Happened at the ‘Wicked’ Premiere?
Ariana Grande was walking the yellow brick road carpet at Universal Studios Singapore alongside co-stars Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Goldblum. Videos from the event show a man suddenly running towards Grande and grabbing her.
The man, who had long, dark hair with blue streaks, wrapped his arm around the singer. Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, quickly intervened to help protect Grande.
@sloanhooks After being tackled by security Johnson Wen tried to go after Ariana AGAIN! He spent awhile planning today’s attack, when will he be banned? And that laugh? 😱 #a#arianagrande ♬ original sound – SLOAN
Who Was the Fan That Charged Ariana Grande?
The fan was later identified as Johnson Wen, also known online as “Pyjama Man.” After the incident, Wen posted a video of the encounter on his Instagram account with the caption, “Dear Ariana Grande, Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You.”
Fans have commented begging him to stop. “GET A JOB STAY AWAY FROM HER” said one comment that around 9k other users agreed with. Another said “You’re the reason why we get less appearances in Asia”.
This isn’t Wen’s first time making headlines. He is known for similar stunts, such as crashing a Katy Perry performance in June and interrupting a concert by The Weeknd in August. It begs the question, how do they keep getting away with it?
Grande’s History with Public Incidents and Anxiety
This event is a reminder of the security challenges celebrities face. For Ariana Grande, it may be particularly troubling given her past experiences. The singer has been open about her struggles with PTSD following the tragic bombing at her Manchester concert in 2017, which killed 22 people.
In a 2018 interview with British Vogue, Grande discussed the lasting impact of the attack. “I feel like I shouldn’t even be talking about my own experience, it doesn’t compare,” she said, referencing the families who lost loved ones. “I don’t think I’ll ever know how to talk about it without crying.”
Despite the unsettling moment at the premiere, Grande’s career continues to flourish as fans eagerly await her role as Glinda in Wicked: For Good.
