It’s not ok that netizens are calling Wicked star Cynthia Erivo a homewrecker on social media
It’s officially Wicked season, and it’s safe to say that I am well and truly thrilled at the prospect of seeing stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo transform into the Glinda and Elphaba Gen Z girlies deserve. Some netizens, however, seem far more interested in dissecting Erivo’s relationship and labelling the Broadway legend as a “homewrecker,” than they do in discussing her performance of ‘The Wizard And I’. Weird, I know.
While I think it’s inappropriate to speculate over Erivo’s relationship and take the spotlight away from her incredible talent and success, the misogyny surrounding this conversation prompts further discussion. So, from Reddit rumours to relationship timelines, here’s everything you need to know about the so-called homewrecker drama unfolding online.
Who is Cynthia Erivo dating?
Cynthia Erivo has been romantically linked to several people over the years. However, the 37-year-old is rumoured to have been in an exclusive partnership with actor and producer Lena Waithe since 2020.
Why are people calling Cynthia Erivo a homewrecker?
In October 2024, a Reddit user posted a screenshot of a series of tweets discussing how Grande and Erivo likely got along so well due to the fact they both got into relationships with people who were already taken at the time…
For those who might have missed it, Grande received a slew of abuse earlier this year after she went public with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater. At the time there was a lot of theorising that Slater had left his wife and young child for Grande. Moreover, there were rumours that the pair had first gotten together while the actor was still married—an unproven allegation that has been disputed by the ‘Eternal Sunshine’ singer.
Why are people still liking Ariana grande ? She’s a literal homewrecker DISGUSTING
— ༺♡༻ (-0/7kg) (@skintight_bunny) November 14, 2024
🚨 ariana grande addresses the “homewrecking” scandal in new interview with zach sang:
“we selectively remember what tabloids do to people, especially women, based on whether or not we like the person. they turn it off when that aligns with the version of the person they have… pic.twitter.com/uNMxRjcr33
— wicked news hub (@wickednewshub) February 27, 2024
Above the screenshot discussing Erivo, the user had captioned the post “Cynthia Erivo is also a terrible person and a homewrecker.”
From there, the floodgates opened. Netizens began digging up old tweets and social media posts, seemingly confirming that Erivo was indeed a homewrecker and started up a relationship with her partner Waithe while the latter was still involved with someone else.
I can’t get over Cynthia Erivo & Lena Waithe being a thing directly after her getting divorced for cheating
— fragrance and foolishness (@Brieyonce) April 4, 2022
Specifically, some have alleged that Erivo began dating Waithe while she was still with her ex-wife Alana Mayo. Waite and Mayo first became engaged in 2017, marrying in 2019 before shortly separating after only two months of marriage.
Irrespective of timelines, I’ve found it incredibly disheartening to see the overwhelming amount of misogyny and sexism associated with these conversations and rumours. Both Grande and Erivo are grown women who are entitled to their privacy. Moreover, they’re deserving of basic respect and dignity. Let’s keep it about the work girls.
