The press tour for “Wicked” has been a long blur of pink and green outfits and a seemingly endless run of interviews with the film’s two stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
One of their appearances, however, has stood out among the dozens of others. In a conversation that has been clipped and shared widely across social media, the journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist, reporting for Out magazine, asked Ms. Erivo to respond to an observation that she had made: “I’ve seen this week people are taking the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ and really holding space with that and feeling power in that,” Ms. Gilchrist said, referring to the musical’s anthem.
“That’s really powerful,” Ms. Erivo said. As Ms. Grande sympathetically held onto her pointer finger, she added, “That’s what I wanted.”
Whether it was the phrase “holding space,” the earnest and melodramatic reactions it elicited from Ms. Erivo and Ms. Grande, or the delicate finger-hold — or some combination of the three — the interview has spurred a range of reactions online. Some wondered if Ms. Gilchrist was serious. Others were simply baffled by the exchange.
Ms. Gilchrist, a vice president of editorial and special projects for the L.G.B.T.Q. media company Equal Pride, shared her point of view. This interview has been edited and condensed.
Hi, Tracy. Can you give us a little bit more context about that interview?
This was on the Universal lot earlier this month, on Nov. 7. It was very Hollywood — there was a whole yellow, brick road and Munchkinland set up outside. Typically, you have a window of time where you go in to do your interviews. For this one, I was slated for three interviews: Cynthia and Ariana, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater, and Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey. I had four minutes to ask two people questions. You have to get in there and really have a moment. I like to try to get to something real.
OK, so you have to really think quickly in this situation.
I interviewed Cynthia for the Out 100 list this year. She was the cover star. I had nearly an hour on Zoom with her, so we already had a little bit of a shorthand when I went in there.
Why did you ask Ms. Erivo about “holding space”?
I had seen just that day, that Tony Morrison from GLAAD — who is a friend — had posted the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.” Mind you, this was 1.5 days after the election. We were all kind of reeling. What does this mean for marginalized people and specifically people in the queer community? I thought, “Well, this has been a week.” And so asked her, you know, I said that I’d seen people holding space with the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.”
And a star was born!
I was really teeing up my question, which was, “What does it mean to you to play this character who is so resonant with queer people, especially when we need it?” I hadn’t even asked the question yet. Her response was so dear to me. I was a little flustered.
What is “holding space,” exactly?
When I hold space for something, it means I take a beat. I pay attention. I come into myself rather than scrolling on my phone or being outward with something. You can hold space in many different ways, right? It can be something profound, or it can be something silly. I have been joking that I’ve been holding space for the movie “Carol” for eight years.
Ms. Erivo seemed surprised, if pleased, to hear about this reaction. Were there other similar posts you saw from people relating to “Defying Gravity” in this particular way?
I tried to clarify like, “No, it’s not a huge trend, but I have seen it.” That’s why I said I’m in queer media. I could have said “I have all queer friends,” but that’s what came out of my mouth. Again, I was still teeing up my question.
Why is being in queer media an important distinction for you?
I get to pick my own questions. I don’t have editors telling me what questions to ask. I get to ask questions that are pertinent and relevant to what’s happening in the queer community.
During the interview, Ms. Grande reached over and ever so gently clutched one of Ms. Erivo’s fingers while you were talking. Did you notice in the moment?
They first started grazing fingers while I was talking to Ariana. I don’t know if it ended up in the edited video, but in the raw footage you can see me clock it. In my head I’m thinking, “Please, God, I am just a human lesbian. This is too much!” The whole thing is ultimately high camp, right, because camp is sincere. I was sincere in my question. Cynthia was sincere in her response. And I think when Ariana grabbed her finger, she was just trying to sincerely let her know that she was there with her.
Did you walk away from that interview feeling as if it was pretty standard or as if you had gotten something really special?
I thought it was a really lovely interview. And I thought that people who get it, would get it.
How does it feel to be a meme?
It’s been wild. I was in a meeting when it first started happening and someone texted me in the morning like “Hey, I’m loving this viral moment for you.” The video has about 500,000 views. That’s a lot for us, but I had no idea. I wanted to steer clear of the negativity because I don’t need it in my life, personally. I really tried to lean into the joy.
What have been some of your favorite responses?
Merriam-Webster had a “holding space” post. The Empire State Building did one, which was really fun. The cast of “Once Upon a Mattress,” Ana Gasteyer, Michael Urie and Sutton Foster, made a video. The tippity-top was the Gay Men’s Chorus of New York singing my interview.
Do you have any regrets about your question?
Not really. What happened happened. I feel like I got a real response. I got something authentic.
The post ‘Holding Space’ for ‘Defying Gravity’? She Is, Too. appeared first on New York Times.
