Man who attacked Ariana Grande at Wicked Singapore premiere gets 9 days in jail
The intruder who tried to grab Ariana Grande at the Singapore premiere of ‘Wicked: For Good’ has been sentenced to nine days in jail. The film will be released on 21st November.
A man who attempted to grope actor-singer Ariana Grande on the red carpet of the ‘Wicked: For Good’ Singapore premiere has been sentenced to nine days in jail. The incident, which unfolded during the Asian premiere last week, garnered widespread attention after video of the chaotic moment circulated online.
The accused, 26-year-old Australian citizen Johnson Wayne, jumped the barricade and headed towards Grande while she was walking the red carpet. Security immediately intervened, with co-star Cynthia Erivo also coming to the singer’s rescue. According to prosecutors, Wayne attempted to contact Grande a second time, even after being removed by security – leading to his arrest.
Wayne pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance and admitted in court that he had deliberately tried to get close to the singer. Singapore media reports said the incident matched a pattern of behaviour, as Wayne is known to attempt to breach celebrity security at public events. Previous reports link him to similar efforts involving Katy Perry, The Weeknd and The Chainsmokers.
Following the incident, Wayne posted online claiming he was “free after being arrested”, leading to increased public criticism over his actions and online persona.
Neither Ariana Grande nor her representatives have commented publicly on the sentencing. However, Cynthia Erivo, speaking at a Los Angeles screening a few days later, hinted at recent turmoil, saying, “We’ve been through some shit – I mean, shit, even last week.”
The ‘Wicked: For Good’ team now continues their promotional tour with a final stop scheduled in New York before the film’s release on November 21.