Star leaps into action as Ariana Grande ambushed at Wicked premiere

The Wicked: For Good premiere at Singapore’s Universal Studios has taken a dramatic turn after serial pest Johnson Wen evaded security and ambushed Ariana Grande on the yellow carpet.

Footage shared to social media – by fans in attendance and Wen himself – shows the infamous Australian prankster leaping over the barricade, running past security guards, and forcefully putting his arm around a visibly shocked Grande, jostling her in the process.

Grande’s co-star Cynthia Erivo immediately leapt into action, pushing Wen away from Grande, while actress Michelle Yeoh pulled Grande into her arms.

Security guards are then seen grabbing Wen and holding him to the ground, as Grande clutches her chest and hugs Yeoh. Erivo then turns to Grande and consoles her with a hug, as a stunned Grande strokes Erivo’s arm.

After the incident on Thursday evening (local time), Wen shared footage to his Instagram page, writing alongside it: “Dear Ariana Grande Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You.”

He also shared a video to his Instagram Story, which shows him pointing to the message on his shirt – it says “Jesus” – alongside the text: “I’m Free after being Arrested.”

Grande, Erivo, Yeoh and Universal Pictures have not publicly addressed the incident. This masthead has contacted Universal Pictures and Wen for comment.

Grande, who was Oscar-nominated for her role as Galinda “Glinda” Upland in Wicked: Part One, has been vocal about her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after 22 people died in a bombing at her 2017 Manchester concert.

“I’ve always had anxiety,” the singer and actor told British Vogue in 2018. “I’ve never really spoken about it because I thought everyone had it, but when I got home from tour [September 2017], it was the most severe I think it’s ever been.”

Who is Johnson Wen?

He goes by Pyjama Man on social media, and describes himself as “Troll Most Hated” on his profiles. Wen, 25, has made a name for himself for dancing in asymmetrical sunglasses and sleepwear on the streets of Sydney’s CBD and public transport, and rushing on stage to put his arm around celebrities.

Most recently, Wen made headlines in June, when he stormed Katy Perry’s stage and put his arm around the Firework singer, who was performing at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena as part of her Lifetimes tour.

Security escorted Wen away from Perry, who was visibly shaken and moved away from him while telling the audience: “There’s never going to be another show like this, so just enjoy it!”

NSW Police later confirmed in a statement to this masthead that a man was arrested, taken to Auburn police station and charged with two offences: entering enclosed land and obstructing a person in performance of work or duties.

In an interview with 9News shortly after, Wen said he rushed Perry’s stage for fun and claimed he’s not a threat.

“I’m planning to quit forever because you get in way too much trouble for it, especially me because I’ve done it so many times,” he said after the incident, which saw him banned from the Olympic Park precinct for six months.

Per 9News, the unemployed content creator had racked up about $20,000 in fines for his various stunts, and lived in a backpacker hostel in the inner Sydney suburb of Haymarket.

In October 2024, Wen rushed The Weeknd’s (Abel Tesfaye) stage while the Canadian singer was performing Out Of Time at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium. Wen later told 7NEWS he had spent months planning the stunt.

“[There] was way too many security guards, it looked like it was impossible to get through,” Wen told the outlet. “Somehow I just managed to find a small gap in my section and as soon as I was ready to run on the stage, I ran through that small gap and then I jumped up.”

Wen said he was “extremely happy” when he got to The Weeknd because Wen’s plan had worked. A security guard eventually pulled Wen off the stage as The Weeknd ducked in an attempt to get out of Wen’s grip.

“I didn’t care about the consequences,” Wen told Fox FM’s Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody of the incident. “I was going to do it even though it was really bad.”

Wen also claims to be responsible for the men’s 100-metre sprint final’s delayed start, due to a track invasion, at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

He’s also taken credit for storming the pitch during the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Sydney in 2023. Earlier that year, Wen approached Virat Kohli after walking on to the pitch at the men’s ICC Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad, India.

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