Supporters Demand Detainment of Person Who Seized Ariana Grande
Devoted supporters of Ariana Grande are calling for that a man who jumped a barricade and grabbed the celebrity during yesterday's Wicked: For Good premiere be detained or removed from Singapore.
A widely shared video shows the Australian man bypassing photographers and rushing toward Grande while the actors made its way down a event pathway accompanied by onlookers.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly guided the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was spotted being led away of the event by guards.
Mr Wen stated on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "let go after being detained", though court documents indicated that he was set to be present on the following morning. It is uncertain if he was charged.
History of Event Invasions
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has invaded a performance. His Instagram account contains clips of him disrupting other celebrity events, including jumping on stage at the pop singer's Sydney performance in recently and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers event in the area last year.
"Steps should be implemented applied against him as this is clearly a legal violation," commented an Instagram commenter, in a response to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his behavior.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" another Instagram user remarked.
Fans Express Concern Over Ariana's Safety
Many fans blamed Mr Wen for "triggering past anxiety" Grande, who had discussed suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a devastating incident at the finale of her May 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" wrote a further comment on Instagram.
Some supporters also questioned event staff at the Thursday event for not being sufficiently alert; while others called for digital services to remove Mr Wen's content.
Aftermath and Event Details
In videos circulating online, Grande looked surprised when she was grabbed by the man. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be observed comforting her while Mr Wen was escorted away by staff.
Grande has not commented on the event, and the premiere activities carried on uninterrupted.
Many of fans had assembled in a sea of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good international debut in a Singapore mall, including several who had queued for as long as eight hours before it began.
The motion picture, to be premiered on 21 November, is the follow-up of a two-part interpretation of the acclaimed Broadway and West End musical Wicked, which revolves around the unlikely friendship between two very different sorceresses.
The production itself is a adaptation of the twentieth-century children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who acts as the good witch Glinda, was dressed in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the premiere while Erivo, who portrays the Elphaba, wore a elegant ensemble featuring roses.
They were accompanied by co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the highest-grossing motion picture of 2024 in the UK, and received 10 award recognitions, winning a pair for best costume and artistic direction.