An Australian man who rushed at Wicked star Ariana Grande during a film premiere in Singapore has been deported to Australia and permanently barred from returning to the city-state, after serving a nine-day jail term for public nuisance.
Deportation and Entry Ban
Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) stated that 26-year-old Australian national Johnson Wen was deported to Australia on 23 Nov 2025 and has been prohibited from re-entering Singapore.
ICA’s statement was issued after Wen completed a nine-day jail sentence imposed by a Singapore court for causing a public nuisance at the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good at Resorts World Sentosa.
The Incident at Resorts World Sentosa
On 13 Nov 2025, during the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good at Universal Studios Singapore, Wen jumped over a barricade along the yellow carpet as the cast walked past between about 7pm and 7.11pm.
He ran towards Ariana Grande, put his arm around her, and jumped up and down while facing the crowd, as onlookers recorded the incident.
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Intervention by Cynthia Erivo and Security
Video footage showed Grande’s co-star Cynthia Erivo stepping between Wen and Grande, breaking his hold on the actress-singer as security officers moved in.
Security personnel then pushed Wen back over the barricade and escorted him away from the yellow carpet area at Resorts World Sentosa.
Second Attempt and Arrest
Court documents showed that after being removed, Wen attempted a second time to jump over the barricade later that night but was pinned down by security staff.
Police arrested him around midnight on 14 Nov 2025 in the Temple Street area, and he was charged the same day with being a public nuisance under Singapore law.
Following the premiere incident but before his arrest, Wen posted a video of the encounter on his Instagram and TikTok accounts, captioning it with a message thanking Grande for letting him “jump on the yellow carpet” with her.
He also uploaded additional clips expressing gratitude and excitement about having made physical contact with the Hollywood star at the Singapore event.
Court Proceedings and Sentence
On 17 Nov 2025, Wen pleaded guilty in a Singapore district court to one charge of causing annoyance to the public by creating a commotion during the Wicked: For Good premiere.
District Judge Christopher Goh sentenced Wen to nine days’ jail, which exceeded the one-week term sought by prosecutors, citing his history of similar disruptions overseas.
Judge’s Remarks
In court, Judge Goh described Wen as “attention-seeking” and noted that he had previously disrupted international events, including concerts and sports competitions.
The judge referred to a pattern of behaviour in which Wen had intruded into high-profile occasions without facing significant consequences in earlier incidents.
Previous High-profile Intrusions
Media reports identified Wen as the same individual who climbed on stage during a Katy Perry concert in Sydney on 9 June 2025, interrupting the performance before being led away.
He was also reported to have run onto the track during the men’s 100m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, briefly halting proceedings before security removed him.
Legal Context and Possible Penalties
Under Singapore law, a person convicted of being a public nuisance can face up to three months’ jail, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both, depending on the circumstances of the case.
Wen’s nine-day sentence reflected time already spent in remand since 14 Nov 2025, with the remaining duration served before his removal from the country.
