Supporters Urge Custody of Man Who Grabbed Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande at Wicked premiere
Ariana Grande was in Singapore for the international launch of Wicked: For Good

Loyal fans of Ariana Grande are urging that a man who leaped a barrier and touched the celebrity during yesterday's Wicked: For Good launch be arrested or expelled from Singapore.

A circulating clip reveals the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and lunging at Grande while the cast walked down a event pathway accompanied by onlookers.

Co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly wrested the stunned actress away from Mr Wen, who was observed being escorted out of the event by guards.

Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "let go after being arrested", though official papers revealed that he was due to appear on the next day. It is uncertain if he was formally accused.

Pattern of Event Invasions

This is part of a pattern for Mr Wen, who describes himself as a "Troll Most Hated", has disrupted a concert or event. His Instagram feed features videos of him interrupting other celebrity events, including breaching the performance area at the artist's Sydney performance in June this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers performance in the area last winter.

"Measures must be taken applied against him as this is obviously a legal violation," commented an Instagram commenter, in a message to a video Mr Wen posted of his actions.

"Oh wow so you do this a lot... how aren't you in jail?" a different Instagram user remarked.

Followers Express Concern Over the Star's Past Trauma

Numerous followers blamed Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had spoken of dealing with trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the conclusion of her 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and wounding many.

"Ariana has been through so many scary things... and at her Manchester concert and you thought it would be fun to jump the barricade?" wrote another message on Instagram.

Some attendees also faulted guards at the gathering for not being sufficiently alert; while others called for online networks to block Mr Wen's videos.

Response and Premiere Information

In clips circulating online, Grande appeared surprised when she was grabbed by the intruder. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be observed consoling her while Mr Wen was removed by staff.

Grande has not commented on the incident, and the premiere activities continued without further issues.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Many of Singapore attendees had waited to see the actors of Wicked

Hundreds of supporters had assembled in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good international launch in a Singapore shopping center, including some who had queued for as long as a significant duration before it commenced.

The movie, to be launched on November 21, is the sequel of a two-film version of the well-known theatrical show Wicked, which focuses on the unlikely friendship between two distinct characters.

The musical itself is a derivative of the twentieth-century story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who plays the character Glinda Glinda, was decked out in a rosé sequin dress at the premiere while Erivo, who portrays the wicked witch, wore a elegant ensemble featuring roses.

They were accompanied by co-star Jeff Goldblum.

The initial film, Wicked, was the top-earning motion picture of 2024 in the UK, and received ten award recognitions, winning a pair for best costume and set decoration.

Christopher Peterson
Christopher Peterson

Astrophysicist and science communicator passionate about making space accessible through engaging stories and research.