Ariana Grande Incident: Court Charges Man for Disturbing Premiere

Fri Nov 14 2025 21:21:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A man has been charged in Singapore after jumping a barricade to grab Ariana Grande during a premiere. The incident has drawn widespread outrage.

At the Asia-Pacific premiere of 'Wicked: For Good' in Singapore, an Australian man named Johnson Wen was charged with public nuisance after he jumped over a barricade and grabbed singer Ariana Grande. The incident, caught on viral video, sparked significant public outrage, with many fans criticizing Wen's actions and calling for stricter consequences. Grande, who portrays Glinda in the film, was shaken by the encounter, and the incident raised concerns about event security and the impact of such actions on celebrities.

A man who jumped over a barricade and grabbed actress Ariana Grande at a Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore has been charged with being a public nuisance.

A now viral video shows the Australian man, Johnson Wen, pushing past photographers and charging at Grande while the cast made its way down a yellow carpet surrounded by fans. Co-star Cynthia Erivo could be seen wrestling the stunned actress away from Mr. Wen.

The 26-year-old had posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was 'free after being arrested'. However, on Friday afternoon, he was charged with being a public nuisance by a Singapore court, which has caused massive outrage.

Local media reports say Mr. Wen, who was unrepresented, intends to plead guilty. This is not the first time Mr. Wen, who describes himself as a 'Troll Most Hated', has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram feed includes clips of him disrupting other celebrity events, including jumping on stage at Katy Perry's Sydney concert in June this year.

If found guilty, he may be fined up to S$2000 ($1540; £1170). Fans had earlier called for him to be arrested and deported, stressing the need for action against such behaviors.

Several accused Mr. Wen of 're-traumatising' Grande, who has expressed experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following a tragic incident at her 2017 concert in Manchester. Many commented on social media, criticizing him for taking such risky actions.

Grande has not commented on the incident directly, and despite the drama, the premiere event proceeded as planned.

Hundreds of fans were excited to gather for the premiere, many of whom had queued for hours. The forthcoming film is set to release on 21 November, and Grande dazzled in a champagne pink sequin dress at the premiere.