Ariana Grande has explained why she and Cynthia Erivo often hold hands during press events.

Over the course of the promotional tour for the 2024 musical fantasy film Wicked and the new sequel, Wicked: For Good, the actresses were often photographed linking arms or touching their fingers together.

And during the latest episode of the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast on Tuesday, host Amy asked Ariana about the "really sweet" way she stays connected with co-star Cynthia.

"I channel a lot of energy through my hands. I'm always holding a hand. I'm always squeezing something. I'm always reaching for something," she mused. "It's often who I'm with. I like to channel support or energy or whatever. I didn't even notice that it was a thing about me until that thing happened."

Ariana went on to recall how she and Cynthia, 38, made a pact before starting work on the Wicked films to always be there for each other.

"It was really hard work, you know? To kind of take care of each other through this incredibly huge thing that was making Wicked," the 32-year-old continued. "I really wanted to be safe in each other, you know? I kind of said, 'Hey, we're getting to know each other, we're gonna learn a lot about each other very quickly, I want you to know there's nothing that we can't talk about. You don't have to face something alone. If you need help with something, I am on your side already.'"

In addition, Ariana noted that she makes an effort to maintain contact with the British actress-singer despite their work schedules.

"We're both so busy but do our best to stay connected in that way and to take care of each other so we can honour the project as much as humanly possible," she added.

Wicked: For Good, co-starring Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh, is set for release in cinemas on Friday.