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Wicked's viral meme: Yes, queer people are 'holding space' for 'Defying Gravity'
The Out reporter at the Wicked junket explains the viral moment with Cynthia Erivo.
An Out reporter has gone viral for a heartfelt exchange with Cynthia Erivo over the impact of "Defying Gravity."
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Tracy E. Gilchrist, during the Wicked junket, informed the Elphaba actress that LGBTQ+ people "are really taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that and feeling power in that."
"I didn't know that was happening," says a shocked Erivo, who was honored as the Icon of the Year on the 2024 Out100.
The exchange broke the internet, with fans expressing a mixture of gratitude, befuddlement, and fascination. There were also zoomed-in shots of Ariana Grande reaching for Erivo's hand and finding a finger.
Gilchrist provided some clarification for the confused:
"When I posed the question to Cynthia about people holding space with the lyrics to 'Defying Gravity,' it was two days after the election, and everyone I knew in the LGBTQ+ community was trying to make sense of what we might be facing. I loved her response, and I love that people are having a laugh, because I know I could use one about now."
"I never considered I'd become a meme," Gilchrist said in response to the interview going viral. "But as an unrepentant showqueen, I'm thrilled that it's for something this campy, in response to a movie I love. Now go see Wicked!"
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
