The latest edition of New York Times Cooking, a lighthearted show that pairs celebrities to cook while answering personal questions, devolved into a bizarre online battleground after Ariana Grande and her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey shared an affectionate hug.
The pair were filming an 18-minute pizza-making segment when they posed for a photo, with Bailey hugging Grande from behind as she smiled.
The atmosphere in the studio was warm and intentionally silly, but none of that mattered. A corner of the internet latched onto the brief moment to recycle the most controversial narratives surrounding the actress:
Her weight loss, her dynamic with Cynthia Erivo, and most importantly, the allegations that followed her involvement with Ethan Slater while he was still married to psychologist Lilly Jay.
“Her home wrecking knows no bounds,” a viewer wrote.
A hug between Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey sparked intense discussion on social media
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Even though Bailey is openly gay and has never been connected romantically to Grande, people revived the same accusations that followed her since Ethan Slater, her boyfriend and Wicked co-star, left his wife shortly after the film began shooting.
“The way she’s cheating on Ethan for him,” one commenter wrote. “Is she here to ruin another married man’s life?”
Image credits: NYT Cooking
The controversy exploded in July 2023 when news broke that she was dating Slater, who’s also a co-star on Wicked. The actor was separated from his wife, Lilly Jay, but the divorce wasn’t finalized until September 2024.
Because of this, and the fact that Slater had a son with Jay, Grande was framed as a habitual “husband stealer” by some sections of the internet.
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“I knew her relationship with Ethan wouldn’t last long,” another chimed in.
“What about her man?” another person demanded under the clip, as if Grande had crossed a line simply by laughing and hugging a friend on camera.
Viewers joked that Cynthia Erivo would be jealous of the hug
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The second wave of commentary targeted Cynthia Erivo, Grande’s Wicked co-star who plays Elphaba. Some viewers have long noticed that the two actresses interact with an unusually intense and almost protective energy during interviews.
“I’m surprised Cynthia isn’t coming to ‘save’ her from the danger,” a viewer said.
“She’s betraying Cynthia,” someone added.
Others edited photos and memes of Erivo staring in disgust while Bailey hugged Grande.
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This idea of Erivo as Grande’s self-appointed guardian has grown online thanks to their many appearances during Wicked’s promotional tours.
For instance, on November 13, at the premiere of Wicked: For Good in Singapore, a man known as Johnson Wen rushed the carpet and grabbed Grande without her consent. Immediately, Erivo rushed to her defense.
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Before that, their interview chemistry, which some fans find sweet, has been seen by others as uncomfortable.
Videos of Erivo rubbing Grande’s arm, guiding her answers, or glancing at her with exaggerated concern have been described by some viewers as odd. So when Grande hugged Bailey, a segment of the internet joked that Erivo herself would take personal offense.
Some fans believe Grande is reaching her mental and physical breaking point
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Beyond the speculation about the meaning of their hug, some viewers focused instead on the body language of the actors.
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While some believe Grande and Bailey had great chemistry and were comfortable, others believed the actress was tense and, as one viewer put it, “didn’t really want to be there.”
“Bruh felt every single bone in the human body with one hug,” another added, echoing the worries of many who believe the actress is reaching her breaking point, both physically and mentally.
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As Bored Panda recently reported, Grande hinted that her upcoming tour will mark the beginning of an indefinite break from her music career.
She has also described herself as exhausted in several interviews, and spoke about the toll filming Wicked has taken on her.
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Many also believe her mental health is on the decline, especially after she confessed the 2017 Manchester bombing left her with symptoms of PTSD such as heavy anxiety and memory gaps.
At the same time Grande’s appearance has been under a microscope for months.
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Viewers have argued endlessly about whether her weight loss is the result of stress, medication, illness, or cosmetic procedures.
Image credits: NYT Cooking
She directly addressed the criticism in April 2023 and then again in December 2024, asking people to stop talking about her body.
“I want to politely let you know it’s not helpful and doesn’t feel good,” she said. “You never know what someone is going through.”
Image credits: NYT Cooking
Beyond what some viewers believed, the segment was lighthearted and well-received overall.
“I love interviews where the actors just do normal activities and its not just sitting and talking this is so funny,” a viewer wrote.
“Uncomfortable.” Fans shared their thoughts on the NYT segment on social media
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