Entertainment | November 8th, 2024

The Controversy of Wicked and Artificial Intelligence

By: Jarrett Johnson

Ariana is standing by her ‘sister’ and Wicked costar, Cynthia Erivo, after she slams fan-edited Wicked posters and AI content. 

An official poster released by Universal was tweaked by a fan in the fashion of the original Broadway poster the movie is based on by lowering Elphaba’s witch hat to cover Erivo’s eyes and changing her lip color from dark green to red. In addition to the poster, Erivo responded to a viral AI-created video that features the poster morphing into a fight between the two stars.  

The Tony Award-winning actress first spoke out on October 16 via her Instagram story, saying, “This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI of us fighting, equal to people posing the question ‘is your ***** green?’ None of this is funny. None of this is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.” 

Erivo continued in the same post, saying, “The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION. I am a real-life human being who chose to look right into the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer…because, without words, we communicate with our eyes. Our poster is a homage, not an imitation; to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”  

Fans took to social media to express their opinions on Erivo’s comments, with many feeling as though she overacted.  

“We as a society are way too easily offended by pretty much anything and everything,” one X (formerly known as Twitter) user comments.  

“Regardless of how wrong you feel about her statement, she has every right to feel offended. It’s her image being used for these memes. Unfortunately, she felt this way to things that meant no harm.” Another X account comments. 

On October 19, Ariana Grande spoke to Variety at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, weighing in on the AI-edited poster for the upcoming movie. 

“I think it’s very complicated because I find AI so conflicting and troublesome sometimes, but I think it’s just kind of such a massive adjustment period,” said Grande. 

“This is something that is so much bigger than us, and the fans are gonna have fun and make their edits.”  

When asked if sometimes things can go ‘too far,’ the singer said, “I think so. I have so much respect for my sister, Cynthia, and I love her so much. It’s just a big adjustment period…It’s so much stimulation about something that’s so much bigger than us.”  

Many fans took to social media to express how they felt. Grande’s interview could hint that she also felt some overreaction on Erivo’s part.  

An Ariana Grande fan account took to X and commented, “She don’t wanna be involved…avoided the question with a mature, respectful answer.” 

Another commenter said, “Translation: it wasn’t that serious & The poster was cool, but my girl Cynthia was upset & I love my sister, so it’s cool. Let’s move on.”