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'I felt my humanity was bastardized': Cynthia Erivo says reaction to Ariana Grande red carpet incident rooted in racism
Wicked co-star said reactions to the incident, which included suggestions she was Grande’s ‘bodyguard’, reflect an insidious view of Black women
TL;DR
- Cynthia Erivo felt 'terrified' during a red carpet invasion where she defended Ariana Grande from an attacker.
- She believes the public reaction, including suggestions she was Grande's 'bodyguard,' exposed racist views towards Black women.
- Erivo stated that the incident and its aftermath made her hesitant to campaign for Oscars, as her actions were misinterpreted due to assumptions about her appearance.
- The invader, Johnson Wen, has a history of disrupting public events and was sentenced to nine days in jail.