Ariana Grande had a frightening moment on the yellow brick road carpet at the Singapore premiere of her new film Wicked: For Good on Thursday, Nov. 13, when an unexpected fan rushed at her in front of stunned costars and onlookers.
Grande, who stars as Glinda in the upcoming movie, was walking the carpet at Universal Studios Singapore alongside Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Goldblum when a man in a white shirt suddenly sprinted toward her. Multiple fan videos captured the moment he grabbed her and wrapped an arm around her as she tried to pull away.
The man, identified by fans as Johnson Wen — known online as “Pyjama Man” — held on to Grande until Erivo immediately stepped in. The Elphaba actress moved between them, shouting at the intruder as security rushed in and pulled him off Grande.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Grande looked visibly shaken afterward, taking deep breaths as Erivo and Yeoh stayed close to comfort her.
Wen later posted his own video of the encounter on Instagram, thanking Grande for “letting me jump on the yellow carpet with you.” He’s gained a reputation for crashing celebrity moments, including jumping onstage with Katy Perry in June and interrupting a performance by The Weeknd in August before being tackled by security.
The incident struck a nerve with fans, especially given Grande’s well-known history with trauma. The singer has spoken openly about her PTSD following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing at her concert, an attack that killed 22 people. In a 2018 interview with British Vogue, she admitted the experience left a long-lasting mark.
“It’s a real thing,” she said at the time, noting that the families, survivors, and fans endured unimaginable loss. She also shared that she has long struggled with anxiety, adding, “My anxiety has anxiety.”
What's Up Today Editorial Team
Take him out back and beat him!