Cynthia Erivo has a "deeply honest relationship" with Ariana Grande

Speaking about their chemistry, Cynthia told Deadline: "You can't get that if you don't have it off[screen]. I mean, well done if you can, but there's something that feels very tangible when you create that off screen.

"We are friends. We are in a deeply honest relationship outside of the work.

"I talk to her almost every day. She messages me every day and we are always in conversation ... if there's something that I want her ears on or I want her opinion on, I send it to her. If there's something she wants my opinion on, she sends it to me. We are always trying to be aligned."

Cynthia feels that their off-screen relationship was key to their on-screen chemistry.

The actress explained: "If the seeking of alignment and finding each other in the same space means that our voices work together like that, it means that when I'm in the scene for 'Popular' it is funny and I can be alive because I'm there to provide that."

Cynthia previously claimed that she developed an immediate "connection" with Ariana.

The actress told 'Extra': "When we found out we were doing this, I asked her to come around and just chill. We organised it together and she came to my house. We sat on my floor and chatted for hours and hours and hours.

"I think in that moment, we both realised that we had something, like an immediate sort of connection."