Ariana Grande recently issued an apology to Cassandra Peterson, the actress known for her role as horror icon Elvira. The apology came after Peterson accused Grande of ignoring her during a meet-and-greet event.
Peterson revealed that Grande had requested tickets for herself and her family to one of her stage shows. Despite posing for photos and signing autographs for Grande’s friends and relatives, Peterson claimed that Grande refused to pose for a picture and left before the performance.
In response, Grande took to Instagram to express her dismay at the situation. She explained that she had left the event early due to an anxiety attack, stating that she was “disheartened” by Peterson’s comments.
Grande also mentioned that the encounter would have taken place about seven years ago, following a concert in Manchester that was targeted in a terror attack. At the time, Grande admitted that she was not comfortable in public crowds or loud places.
The singer concluded her apology by thanking Peterson for being kind to her mother and expressing her love and admiration for the actress, calling her “our queen of Halloween.”
The incident came to light when a video of Peterson discussing the interaction went viral. During the panel discussion, someone jokingly remarked that Grande was “playing the wrong witch,” referencing her upcoming role as Good Witch Glinda in the film adaption of Wicked.
In addition to the apology, Grande and Cynthia Erivo, her co-star in Wicked, addressed fan edits of promotional materials for the movie. They criticized Photoshopped versions of the images, with Erivo condemning the edits as degrading and offensive.
Grande acknowledged that fan edits can sometimes go “too far” and expressed her respect for Erivo. She described the issue as “very complicated” and emphasized the importance of treating others with dignity and respect.