Followers Urge Detainment of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande
Devoted supporters of Ariana Grande are urging that a individual who leaped a barrier and seized the celebrity during Thursday's Wicked: For Good premiere be detained or expelled from Singapore.
A widely shared video reveals the person identified as Johnson Wen pushing past camera operators and charging at Grande while the cast walked down a event pathway flanked by onlookers.
Fellow actress Cynthia Erivo quickly guided the stunned actress away from Mr Wen, who was seen being led away of the event by guards.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram recently that he was "released after being arrested", though court documents showed that he was set to attend court on the next day. It is not clear if he was faced legal action.
History of Event Invasions
This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Controversial Figure", has crashed a concert or event. His Instagram feed features videos of him disrupting other celebrity events, including rushing the platform at the artist's Sydney performance in June this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers performance in the city last December.
"Steps should be implemented enforced against him as this is obviously a punishable act," wrote an Instagram commenter, in a message to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his actions.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" one Instagram user wrote.
Followers Voice Worry Over the Star's Safety
Several fans accused Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had discussed suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a terrorist explosion at the conclusion of her spring 2017 show in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and harming hundreds.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" commented a further message on Instagram.
Several fans also faulted guards at the Thursday event for not being adequately prepared; while some demanded online networks to remove Mr Wen's uploads.
Reaction and Premiere Information
In videos shared widely, Grande seemed startled when she was touched by the individual. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted consoling her while Mr Wen was led out by staff.
Grande has not commented on the event, and the remaining proceedings continued without further issues.
Hundreds of attendees had congregated in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific debut in a Singapore venue, including several who had queued for as long as eight hours before it commenced.
The film, to be launched on 21 November, is the sequel of a two-film adaptation of the popular theatrical show Wicked, which revolves around the unexpected relationship between two distinct characters.
The show itself is a spin-off of the classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was decked out in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the event while Erivo, who portrays the villainous character, wore a elegant ensemble embroidered with roses.
They were accompanied by co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the highest-grossing film of 2024 in the UK, and received 10 Academy Award nods, earning a pair for outstanding attire and production design.