A representative from Universal told Variety: “Cynthia is not feeling well and has lost her voice, therefore she and Ariana will not be doing interviews this evening.”
It was reported that her castmate – who plays Glinda the Good Witch in the musical blockbuster – was also skipping interviews in solidarity, although they did appear on the official E! livestream for a brief chat.
However, Ariana told the reporter: “I’m not letting her speak. She has to rest her voice!”
At one point she jokingly asked her friend if she was “doing OK” as she plugged her upcoming projects.
Cynthia – who plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West – was seen laughing and nodding, but remained silent for most of the interview.
Ariana said the duo were excited for the fans to “finally be able to get the full story, the full arc of these women that we love so much, and have spent these years with”.
Her co-star then whispered something, but when her co-star couldn’t hear, she leaned into the microphone and spoke in a raspy voice.
She said: “It’s really beautiful that we’re finishing here, where it started.”
The Wicked musical was first performed in New York City’s Gershwin theatre in 2003, and is still a fixture on Broadway.
Last week, Cynthia came to the aid of her co-star when Johnson Wen, who is known as Pyjama Man on Instagram, jumped the barrier at the movie’s Singapore premiere and rushed the Thank U, Next singer.
He was seen grabbing her shoulders and jumping up and down, while Ariana was visibly shocked.
He was arrested and charged with public nuisance, and after pleading guilty, Wren has been sentenced to nine days in prison.
