Ariana Grande, centre, and Cynthia Erivo (2nd R) at the premiere of their film "Wicked: For Good" in Singapore. Photo: The Straits Times / AFP
A Singapore court sentenced an Australian man to nine days in jail on Monday for rushing film star Ariana Grande at the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good last week.
Grande and other stars were attending the opening night of the film at Universal Studios in the city-state when the man, identified by court papers as 26-year-old Johnson Wen, jumped a barricade and put his arm around the actor.
Video clips, which have gone viral online, show the man wrapping his arm around a shocked Grande before jumping up and down and smilingly waving to the crowd.
Grande's co-star Cynthia Erivo then rushes to her defence and the man is grabbed by security guards and dumped back over the barricade.
Wen was arrested hours later and charged with "being a public nuisance".
"This act was premeditated," Singapore District Judge Christopher Goh said, before handing Wen a nine-day sentence.
This is far below the maximum penalty afforded by law: three months in jail, a fine of $1,500, or both.
Dressed in a plain white shirt and appearing via a videolink, Wen at first seemed confused when prosecutors read out the charge, but proceeded to enter a guilty plea.
Cynthia Erivo protects Ariana Grande from a person who ambushed her at the premiere. Photo: TikTok: usersofiarose
Wen, who is alleged to have disrupted other global sports events and concerts, "showed a pattern of behaviour, which suggests that you will do it again," said the judge.
"You seem to be attention seeking, thinking only of yourself and not the safety of others when committing these acts," added Goh.
He told Wen he was "wrong" to think his actions would bear no consequences.
"You should be mindful that there are always consequences for one's actions."
Asked if he had anything to say in mitigation of his sentence, Wen told the judge: "I won't do it again, Your Honour. I am going to stop getting into trouble."
Goh said the court needed to "send a signal to like-minded individuals... that we will not condone any act that potentially undermines the reputation of Singapore as a safe country".
Already behind bars for four days, Wen has another five to serve.
It was not clear whether any further action would be taken against him once released.
The incident did not stop the much-anticipated premiere from going ahead on Thursday, with the cast huddling around Grande before continuing down the yellow carpet.
Ariana Grande-Butera arrives at the 2025 Oscars. Photo: 2025 WireImage
Grande, 32, began her career as a teen on Broadway before embarking on a hugely successful pop career.
At perhaps the height of her meteoric pop fame, in 2017, one of her concerts was bombed.
The Manchester Arena attack killed 22 people, wounded more than 1000 and left Grande with PTSD.
- AFP
