Ariana Grande has opened up about the pressure of being cast as Glinda in the big-screen version of Wicked and said she understands why some fans may have had reservations.
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Speaking on the Sentimental Men podcast, Grande talked about her long-term love of the original Wicked stage musical, and said: “I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver, or why I would be wrong or whatever.”
She continued, referring to those who criticised her casting: “Going off of ‘Side to Side’, I probably would’ve said the same thing.
“I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the fuck? Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this. Kill me.’ I would’ve said that — as a fan from the outside, knowing of only ‘7 Rings’, probably — I’d say, ‘Well, that’s bullshit.’ So, you know, I get it.”
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked’. CREDIT: Universal Studios.
Grande is starring opposite Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in the movie musical, which is directed by In The Heights and Crazy Rich Asians’ Jon M. Chu. Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum also appear, playing Fiyero and the Wizard of Oz respectively.
The two-time Grammy winner also shared her feelings about the audition process, and breaking out of her pop star mould to take on bigger acting projects.
She said: “This is something I loved so much about auditioning for Wicked. It has to be earned. Anything on this scale, being a part of anything, it’s not just given because they know you for one thing. So, it’s fun to have the challenge of reframing people’s perception and doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces.”
Elsewhere, Grande recently spoke out in support of Erivo regarding the latter’s criticism of fan-edited Wicked posters and AI content. She also brought together actresses who’ve previously starred in Wicked on Broadway for a special screening of the new film.
Wicked is split into two instalments, with the first arriving in cinemas on November 22 and the second scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.
The post Ariana Grande understands why ‘Wicked’ fans think she “would be wrong” for the part: “I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the fuck?’” appeared first on NME.
