Supporters Demand Arrest of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande
Devoted fans of the pop star are demanding that a person who breached a barrier and touched the performer during yesterday's Wicked: For Good premiere be taken into custody or deported from Singapore.
A widely shared footage depicts the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and charging at Grande while the cast walked down a promenade accompanied by fans.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly wrested the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was spotted being led away of the event by event staff.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "released after being detained", though official papers indicated that he was scheduled to appear on the following morning. It is unknown if he was faced legal action.
Record of Incidents
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Troll Most Hated", has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram profile features recordings of him disrupting other celebrity events, including jumping on stage at Katy Perry's Sydney performance in June this year and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the same location last year.
"There needs to be action enforced against him as this is obviously a punishable act," wrote an Instagram follower, in a reply to a video Mr Wen posted of his behavior.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" a different Instagram user wrote.
Followers Voice Worry Over Ariana's Past Trauma
Several followers blamed Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had discussed experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a devastating incident at the conclusion of her spring 2017 performance in Manchester, killing 22 people and harming 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?" said another message on Instagram.
Some supporters also criticised event staff at the Thursday event for not being vigilant enough; while others called for social media platforms to block Mr Wen's uploads.
Reaction and Event Details
In videos spreading on the internet, Grande looked startled when she was grabbed by the individual. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted comforting her while Mr Wen was removed by security.
Grande has not issued a statement on the situation, and the rest of the event carried on uninterrupted.
Many of supporters had gathered in a crowd of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific premiere in a Singapore mall, including a number who had waited for as long as a significant duration before it commenced.
The movie, to be released on November 21, is the sequel of a two-part version of the popular Broadway and West End show Wicked, which focuses on the unlikely friendship between two very different characters.
The production itself is a spin-off of the classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who acts as the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was decked out in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the premiere while Erivo, who acts as the Elphaba, wore a sleek black dress featuring roses.
They were accompanied by cast member Jeff Goldblum.
The initial film, Wicked, was the top-earning film of 2024 in the UK, and scored 10 Academy Award nods, securing two for outstanding attire and set decoration.