Marissa Bode is not here for anyone disrespecting her Wicked family—especially not Ariana Grande.
The 25-year-old actor, who plays Nessarose Thropp in the two-part Wicked film adaptation, spoke out after a chaotic incident during the Singapore stop of the Wicked: For Good press tour last Thursday when a man jumped past security and grabbed Grande on the yellow carpet.
The moment, now viral, shows Australian social media personality Johnson Wen, known online as “Pyjama Man," barreling through photographers and launching himself at Grande, wrapping an arm around her as he bounced up and down. Cynthia Erivo stepped in immediately, helping pull the stunned actress away before security escorted Wen out.
The incident left fans shaken and reignited conversations about celebrity safety, boundaries, and the increasingly unhinged nature of parasocial fandom.
Bode didn’t mince words. Posting several TikTok videos the following day, she pushed back against people defending Wen simply because he called himself a “fan.”
She opens one of the videos with:
“But they're a fan. Okay, then they're a fan and a loser. Because what we're not about to do is make a woman whose space was invaded...”
As one of the breakout newcomers in the Wicked films, Bode has quickly become a fan favorite. She’s the first wheelchair user cast in a major movie musical and brings a grounded, magnetic presence to Nessarose, a character often flattened in earlier interpretations.
Offscreen, she’s earned praise for her thoughtful commentary, her advocacy for disability representation, and the genuine warmth she shows her castmates.
For Bode, the issue wasn’t just inappropriate behavior; it was the normalization of treating public figures like props for social media clout. She pointed to a broader pattern of parasocial entitlement, where online familiarity convinces people they’re owed access to celebrities in real life.
As she put it, this was no quirky meet-cute on the yellow brick road:
“And this is what I mean when I say social media brings out the worst in people. Oh, did you get your views? Did you get your likes? Guess what you also did. You made somebody feel incredibly unsafe… You’re a bad person.”
She further highlighted the double standard many women in the public eye face: the expectation that they respond with warmth even when startled, frightened, or violated.
Bode explained:
“And I don't think women or really anybody should be expected to move with grace or respond with kindness when they've been violated in that way. And to expect that makes you a weirdo also.”
You can watch Bode’s TikTok response here:
Wen later posted his own video, horrifyingly captioned, “Dear Ariana Grande, thank you for letting me jump on the yellow carpet with you.” Which… is certainly a disturbing choice of words. Singapore authorities have since charged him with being a public nuisance.
According to the BBC, he could face a fine of up to S$2,000 ($1,540; £1,170) if convicted. The outlet also reports that Singapore’s police and immigration authorities have been contacted for comment.
Grande herself has yet to comment on the incident, but circulating footage shows Michelle Yeoh and Erivo comforting her after the intrusion. Some commenters expressed concern that this encounter could re-traumatize Grande, who has openly discussed experiencing PTSD after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
In her follow-up videos, Bode rejected the idea that Wen could be a fan at all if he viewed Grande, or any artist, as an object instead of a person:
“These are people. They are not products. They do not owe you your entire personhood. And to be frank, if you don't agree with that, you are not a fan.”
She also pointed to other women frequently scrutinized online, including Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo, noting how quickly the public turns against women who express justified frustration or set boundaries.
Watch the follow-up TikTok here:
Within hours, Bode’s comment sections were flooded with reactions, with many applauding her clarity and others reflecting on their own behaviors as fans:
@ceoofhoesmad/TikTok
@showmeurmoomoo/TikTok
@cablehoe/TikTok
@samanthagibson46/TikTok
@ikranamoktoyu/TikTok
@hopeyoufindyourdad/TikTok
@lexytheactress/TikTok
@athenasworld95/TikTok
@kelsibell24/TikTok
@sydneywynder/TikTok
@vickbash/TikTok
@xp.etros/TikTok
This wasn’t Wen’s first boundary-crossing stunt; his Instagram is full of clips of him rushing stages at concerts by Katy Perry and The Chainsmokers. According to local media, he plans to plead guilty.
Otherwise, the press tour continued as scheduled, wrapping up in New York City. While Grande quietly protected her own space, Bode’s message was clear and loud: fandom is not a free pass to violate someone’s physical or emotional boundaries. Even in Oz, there are lines you don’t cross, and this cast is more than willing to stand up for each other when those lines are tested.
Wicked: For Good, the final installment of the hit film series, premieres on November 21, 2025, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
You can view the final trailer below:
- YouTubeUniversal Pictures
With voices like Marissa Bode reminding audiences that boundaries matter, the Wicked cast continues to demonstrate that the magic of Oz goes far beyond the movie screen. So, here’s to a safe, joyful final stretch of their press tour—and to a film that real fans can’t wait to see.
