Ariana Grande experienced a frightening moment at the Wicked: For Good world premiere in Singapore on Thursday when a man unexpectedly rushed toward her on the green carpet. The pop star, who appeared visibly startled, was quickly shielded by co-star Cynthia Erivo and escorted away by security.
The man, identified as Johnson Wen, posted the incident himself on Instagram — the same account where he documents past attempts to rush stages at concerts and sporting events. Wen, who uses the handle Pyjama Man man, thanked Grande for “letting” him onto the carpet, even though the video clearly shows the singer was caught off guard and frightened.
Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh Step In
In the video, Grande is seen posing with co-star Michelle Yeoh when Wen suddenly runs up and puts his arm around her. Grande freezes, looking shocked, before Erivo jumps across both women, attempting to pull Wen away.
Security officers quickly intervened, while additional footage from bystanders shows Erivo repositioning herself to keep Grande between her and Yeoh as they continued walking the carpet — a protective move fans widely praised online.
Universal Pictures, the studio behind Wicked: For Good, has not yet issued a statement about the breach.
Fans Slam the Security Breach
Grande’s fans flooded Wen’s Instagram comments, describing the encounter as “assault” and calling on others to report his account. Many referenced Grande’s history of trauma, including the deadly 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people and resulted in years of anxiety and PTSD symptoms for the singer.
“After all the trauma Ari has been through, this is beyond disrespectful,” one fan wrote. “You should be ashamed.”
Wen Calls Himself a “Mega Fan”
Wen has a history of stage-crashing incidents, including jumping onstage at Katy Perry and The Weeknd concerts and invading sports fields. In a message to NBC News, he described himself as a “mega fan” of Grande and said he was “happy” to meet her — though viewers noted she appeared anything but.
He did not respond to questions about the backlash or whether he understood the fear and distress his actions caused.
The incident has ignited conversations about celebrity safety, fan boundaries, and event security — especially for artists like Grande who have endured significant trauma in public spaces. As Wicked: For Good promotions continue, fans hope security measures will be tightened to prevent similar scares.
