Fans Call for Custody of Man Who Touched Ariana Grande
Loyal fans of Ariana Grande are calling for that a person who breached a barricade and touched the actress during the recent Wicked: For Good launch be arrested or removed from Singapore.
A viral clip reveals the Australian man bypassing camera operators and rushing toward Grande while the cast made its way down a event pathway flanked by fans.
Co-star Cynthia Erivo immediately wrested the stunned star away from Mr Wen, who was seen being removed of the premiere by event staff.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "free after being taken in", though official papers showed that he was set to appear on Friday morning. It is unknown if he was formally accused.
Pattern of Incidents
This is part of a pattern for Mr Wen, who describes himself as a "Notorious Troublemaker", has invaded a celebrity gathering. His Instagram profile includes clips of him disrupting other star-studded functions, including rushing the platform at the pop singer's Sydney performance in June this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers concert in the same location last winter.
"There needs to be action applied against him as this is obviously a criminal offence," wrote an Instagram user, in a message to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his act.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" a different Instagram user questioned.
Followers Voice Worry Over Ariana's Well-being
Several supporters criticized Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had revealed experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a devastating incident at the finale of her 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and injuring numerous individuals.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" said another comment on Instagram.
Some fans also faulted security officers at the gathering for not being sufficiently alert; while some requested social media platforms to ban Mr Wen's content.
Aftermath and Event Details
In videos shared widely, Grande looked surprised when she was touched by the individual. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be observed comforting her while Mr Wen was escorted away by guards.
Grande has remained silent on the incident, and the remaining proceedings carried on uninterrupted.
Hundreds of attendees had assembled in a crowd of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific premiere in a Singapore shopping center, including several who had stood in line for as long as eight hours before it started.
The movie, to be released on November 21, is the sequel of a two-part interpretation of the acclaimed stage production Wicked, which revolves around the unexpected friendship between two very different witches.
The show itself is a adaptation of the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was adorned in a rosé glittering gown at the gathering while Erivo, who acts as the wicked witch, wore a black tube gown decorated with roses.
They were alongside cast member Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning film of 2024 in the UK, and received ten Academy Award nods, earning two for outstanding attire and production design.