Ariana Grande is gearing up for the release of Wicked, based on a classic Broadway musical narrating the story of two witches of Oz – the misunderstood Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and the popular Galinda (Ariana Grande). They meet at the Shiz University and develop an unexpected friendship but it remains to be seen if their bonds can withstand a love triangle and political corruption.
Ever since the casting of Ariana as the Good Witch, a heated debate has erupted online whether the pop star could deliver a good performance. Now, during her recent appearance on the Sentimental Men podcast, Ariana admitted she understands the fan backlash. When talking about her part in Wicked, the ‘God is a Woman’ songstress noted, “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.”
Ariana noted she gets where the reservations have been coming from, “Going off of ‘Side to Side,’ I probably would’ve said the same thing. I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the f—? 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.’ I’d say, ‘Well, that’s bulls—.’ So, you know, I get it.”
While maneuvering through the role, Ariana had to ignore the backlash to focus on her work and deliver her best. “I tried not to let it derail me,” she said.
Wicked, the highly anticipated musical adaptation will lock horns with Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II at the box office. The stage musical, based on a Gregory Maguire novel, has been split into two parts for its big-screen debut. Part One will hit the UAE theatres on November 28, while the follow-up film is expected to arrive in theatres in November 2025.
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