Oscar-nominated actress/singer Cynthia Erivo is facing a growing plagiarism scandal after readers discovered that her new memoir, Simply More, contains a distinctive metaphor previously used by Ariana Grande in her 2019 Vogue interview.
Cosmopolitan claimed that the controversy centres on Erivo's description of herself as a 'petri dish' for public scrutiny, a phrase fans quickly recognised as identical to Grande's widely shared quote.
The incident has led to an attribution apology from her publisher, Flatiron Books, and raised broader questions about editorial oversight and intellectual property in celebrity memoirs.
Publisher Issues Attribution Apology
The publisher, Flatiron Books (an imprint of Macmillan), was quick to react to the backlash. The publisher confessed that the name Grande had not been disclosed in the chapter's introduction by accident, as reported by The Washington Post and People, and assured that it would be corrected in subsequent editions, noting that Erivo herself had no intention of stealing Grande's words.
The publisher's explanation was not very effective in containing the first storm, because fans argued that such a slip could have passed through the editorial process without anyone noticing.
Fan Discovery Sparked the Plagiarism Scandal
A Wicked superfan was the first to notice the similarity and the initial spot of the controversy as he read Chapter 42 of Erivo's memoir. The Cut notes that the passage, as presented by Erivo, was virtually identical to what Grande had previously said: 'I have been a petri dish ever since I was a teenager.' I heard all, every variant of what is wrong with me.
The news soon went viral, and readers wondered how a high-profile book could fail to credit its sources.
Why The Quote Matters
The initial quote by Grande, in which she referred to herself as a 'petri dish to be devoured by the public', was widely circulated back then and reflects the extreme attention given to celebrities. When Erivo applied the same metaphor without attribution, it cast into doubt originality and respect for intellectual property.
The scandal illustrates that good citation is a key consideration even in memoir,s where autobiographical reflections usually interplay with cultural allusions.
Public Reaction To Erivo Lapse
Both Erivo and Grande had their fans respond to this on social media. Others defended Erivo, saying that there had been a minor oversight that was easily rectified. The lapse has been criticised by others, who say it weakens the credibility of her memoir.
MSN reported that the publisher said they had omitted the correct attribution, but the event revived arguments about plagiarism in celebrity publishing, where ghostwriters and editors frequently play major roles.
Erivo's Career Context
Cynthia Erivo is a renowned actress who won a Tony Award for The Colour Purple and was nominated for an Oscar for Harriet. She will also play the role of Elphaba in the subsequent Wicked film adaptation alongside Ariana Grande, who will play Glinda.
The irony of the plagiarism scandal is that Erivo and Grande are professional partners, so the attribution error is even more evident.
Risks And Trade-Offs
In Erivo's case, the scandal can damage her reputation as an insightful and unique artist. In the case of Grande, it highlights the relevance of her words and raises the issue of her intellectual property being disrespected; for the publisher, the mistake underscores the need for stringent editorial supervision of celebrity memoirs.
Wider Implications
This scandal highlights broader issues in the publishing sector: Memoirs by celebrities are frequently based on the work of teams of editors and ghostwriters, which increases the risk of attribution errors.
The fact that high-profile individuals are subject to public scrutiny implies that even minor errors can lead to scandals. Memoirs should treat cultural borrowing with great care to avoid accusations of plagiarism.
Conclusion
The Cynthia Erivo plagiarism scandal highlights the importance of proper attribution in publishing. Although the publisher has confessed the mistake and vowed to make the corrections, the incident has sparked controversy over originality, respect, and editorial responsibility.
In the case of Erivo, the scandal teaches her that she still has to deal with the realities of authorship and responsibility. To Grande, it strengthens her cultural control and the necessity of her words being the right ones to be mentioned.
