Cynthia Erivo shares the sweet way she supports Ariana Grande

• Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have pledged to support each other on and off the red carpet.
• The "Wicked: For Good" stars and friends have dealt with brazen comments about their appearance and health.
• "We’re able to look at one another and say, ‘Just know I see you and everything that you are. Whatever state you’re in, you’re so beautiful to me,’ ” Cynthia Erivo tells USA TODAY.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are always holding space for each other.

The “Wicked” stars have forged a profound bond on and off screen, with harmonious performances and tearful interviews about how they’ve changed each other for good. But with their many viral moments, there have also been immense challenges: Last year, the Oscar nominees received intrusive criticism on social media for their appearances, with fans making mean-spirited assumptions about their health.

In a recent interview about "Wicked: For Good" (in theaters Nov. 21) and her new book “Simply More,” Erivo said that early on, she and Grande set a precedent to always support one another.

“That was right at the beginning,” Erivo tells USA TODAY. “We’ve had this conversation about people talking about what we look like, and we’re able to look at one another and say, ‘Just know I see you and everything that you are. Whatever state you’re in, you’re so beautiful to me.’ ”

If Erivo does a red carpet that she didn't tell Grande about, "she’ll see it and I’ll get a message from her that just says, ‘By the way, you look beautiful in this.’ Then I’ll send her the same message as well,” the British actress says.

When Grande recently dyed her hair to “this sweet, warm brown, I messaged her immediately, ‘I love the brown, you look beautiful.’ … Just messages for each other so that whatever the world says, it doesn't really matter, because the important thing is how we feel about ourselves.”

Erivo, 38, elaborates on her lifelong experiences with body-shaming in “Simply More,” which aims to inspire readers to recognize their own self-worth and potential.

Ever since she was a teenager, “I’ve heard it all, every version of what’s wrong with me,” Erivo writes. “And when I fix it, then it’s wrong for different reasons. … It’s hard to protect yourself from that noise.”

Unfortunately, “in today’s society, there’s a degree of ease involved in commenting on others," Erivo says in the book. "Their looks, what people think might be going on behind the scenes, their health, or how they present themselves. … Their ease in making remarks is really dangerous for all parties involved.”

The “Poker Face” star writes that she’s “lucky to have the support system I have,” and when it comes to other people’s negative energy, “I just don’t invite it in anymore.”

“Don’t let the attackers win,” Erivo concludes. “Show your beautiful self in all your glory.”