Cynthia Erivo and Oprah Winfrey Rekindle Viral ‘Wicked’ Meme at 2025 Tony Awards
The 2025 Tony Awards, held on Sunday, June 8, at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, got underway with a nod to a viral moment from last year’s press tour for the musical Wicked. Cynthia Erivo, 38, the ceremony’s host, and media mogul Oprah Winfrey, 71, recreated a memorable meme that originated during Erivo’s press tour for Wicked alongside co-star Ariana Grande. This moment has been widely reported by PEOPLE, who covered the event.
According to PEOPLE, Erivo began the ceremony with a sequence showing her preparing to host, only to be stopped by several people offering her advice on how to stage her opening number. The final person she encountered before taking the stage was Winfrey, who offered her a reassuring message. “What do you do when everyone is telling you what you need to do?” Erivo asked Winfrey. Winfrey’s response, as reported by PEOPLE, was, “Forget about them, babe! The only thing you need to do is just be yourself.”
The two women then shared a knowing smile, with Winfrey extending her right index finger, which Erivo grasped – a clear reference to the viral “holding space” moment between Erivo and Grande during their Wicked press tour last fall. As PEOPLE originally reported, this meme came about during an interview with Out journalist Tracy Gilchrist, who noted that the LGBTQ+ community was connecting with the lyrics of “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked.
The original viral moment, as covered by PEOPLE, occurred when Grande noticed Erivo appeared emotional during the interview. Grande responded by clutching Erivo’s finger and tapping her long acrylic nail, creating a moment that fans quickly reposted and recreated on social media. In an interview with Variety, Grande recalled that she grabbed Erivo’s finger because she thought her friend “might need something.” Erivo jokingly attributed the finger-tapping to “tension.”
Grande reflected on the memes that circulated online, stating that they were “so beautiful.” She added that she felt relieved that others had a similar experience with the moment, joking that it made her feel “not broken.” As PEOPLE reported, Grande and Erivo’s Wicked press tour moment has become an enduring image of their friendship and mutual support.
PEOPLE’s coverage of the 2025 Tony Awards continues, with Erivo hosting the ceremony, which aired live on CBS and Paramount+ from Radio City Music Hall. The event featured various performances and recognitions of excellence in theatre.
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