United Kingdom, Feb. 15 -- Cynthia Erivo has addressed the "strange fascination" surrounding speculation that she and her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande are more than friends.

The pair starred alongside each other as Elphaba and Glinda in John M. Chu's blockbuster two-part big-screen adaptation of Wicked and have built a deep connection on and off set - but it's all "platonic".

Cynthia, 39, explained that the hearsay began simply because people struggled to understand the depth of her bond with the 32-year-old pop star.

She told The Stylist: "At first, I think people didn't understand how it was possible for two women to be friends-close-and not lovers.

"I've never really spoken about this, but there was this strange fascination with th...