‘It’s rewired so many things in my brain’
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Her journey with Wicked first began over two decades ago, when Ariana Grande – then just 10 years old and unaware of what the future would bring – saw the musical on New York’s Broadway. Fast forward to now, and she’s dedicated the past three years of her life to playing Glinda the Good in John M. Chu’s screen adaptation of Wicked.
Based off the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked hit New York’s Broadway back in 2003, with composer Stephen Schwartz penning the now-iconic soundtrack, including ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘Popular.’ When casting for the two-parter film was announced (Wicked hit cinemas last year, with Wicked: For Good released 21 November 2025) names such as Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum garnered much excitement from self-professed Ozians and newbies to the franchise alike.
However, it was the casting of popstar Ariana as the bubbly Glinda that created much buzz. Now 32 years old, it’s a role she’s arguably been preparing for her whole life, ever since first falling in love with the musical as a pre-teen. In 2011, Ariana posted a tweet reading, ‘Loved seeing Wicked again… Amazing production! Made me realise again how badly I want 2 play Glinda at some point in my life.’
For some, dreams do come true.
‘It’s been such a transformative experience,’ Ariana tells Grazia of her time on the film. ‘Both creatively, of course, it’s changed my career and my relationship to my craft in a lot of ways. But also personally, it’s rewired so many things in my brain.’
To an extent, it’s a journey Ariana’s very much on. ‘I’m still unpacking it with my therapist,’ she laughs.
With LGBTQ+ representation, shining a light on disabilities, and promoting animal rights, the story of Wicked offers much more than a few hours of simple escapism. In many ways, every person who sits down to watch (albeit in a theatre, cinema, or in the comfort of their own home) sees something of themselves in the characters before them. It’s what led to the cultural phenomenon of pink and green – are you more Glinda, or more Elphaba?
And for Ariana, she’s absolutely more pink. The bubble-riding Glinda is a character she’s explored and discovered so deeply over the last few years, and one who has taught her plenty about herself in the process.
‘I think that Glinda is such a strong character. I think she’s very sure of herself, and I think performing the act of that turned something in my brain,’ Ariana reflects. ‘Her fierce dedication to what she believes in, and that being herself. She believes in magic, she believes in herself, and she stands up for what she believes in. I love her.’
Ariana with her co-star, Elphaba actor Cynthia Erivo. (Credit: Getty) © Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Of course, it isn’t all hair-tosses and glittering wands. Like all the characters in the franchise, Glinda has her own struggles to grapple with – from the need to be popular and loved, to suddenly realising she’s living a life that isn’t authentically her own.
Ariana says, ‘I feel like we have similar wounds, she and I, that I acknowledged ahead of doing the work but I had to kind of put away so I could just focus on Glinda’s wounds. But I think through the act of healing her relationship to those wounds, something in me shifted as well.’
The screen adaptation has certainly resonated with fans. On its opening weekend, 2024’s Wicked amassed an incredible £125 million at the global box office, making John M. Chu’s adaptation the highest achieving film based on a Broadway musical ever. Wicked: For Good is expected to reach just as lofty heights – with early estimates anticipating it could achieve the biggest opening weekend for 2025.
However, what appears to have resonated the most is the female friendship that’s unfolded between our two leads.
When Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship unfolds onscreen – ‘Because I knew you, I have been changed for good’ one emotional scene sees them sing – it’s a connection that’s all too easy to believe. Partly because it’s something that appears to have become a reality between Ariana and Elphaba actor, Cynthia Erivo. From holding hands and shedding tears, their PDA-filled press run became a goldmine for viral TikToks. When a fan jumped the red carpet barriers earlier this month to put his arm around Ariana, Cynthia was the first to react.
‘That was a bond that developed over time, over doing that work, so I think the work informed the bond actually,’ Ariana says when asked how her friendship with Cynthia helped bring their characters to life. ‘Being able to kind of take care of each other in that creative environment, and create space for each other’s processes. We work very different, we require very different things. There are moments were we overlap, and there’s moments where we [don’t], we’re very different.’
‘It was so wonderful because I felt like I had a really good partner in that, and we were able to support what the other needed, even when those things were very different. It felt like a very safe space to be doing the hardest work of our lives together, so I’m very grateful it was us.’
Charlotte Roberts is a news and entertainment writer at Grazia UK. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment.
Interview by LA-based journalist and Grazia contributor, Federica Volpe.
