Ariana Grande understands why some “Wicked” fans have reservations about her playing Glinda in the film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical.
During a recent interview with Sentimental Men, Grande was asked what scared her the most after being offered the role in the Universal musical.
“I felt a little bit of initial nervousness or some kind of preconceived notions about what I might or might not be able to achieve, or why I might be wrong or whatever,” Grande answered. She later noted how fans of the musical may have only known her by her pop songs when her casting was announced, saying: “Coming out of ‘Side by Side,’ I probably would have said the same thing. I probably would have said: Why the hell?” ‘Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this.’ I would say that – as an outside fan who only knows “7 Rings,” I would probably say, “Well, that’s bullshit so, you know, I get it.”
Grande’s casting in “Wicked” received mixed reactions online after it was announced in 2021. Before becoming a Grammy Award-winning pop singer, Grande made her Broadway debut in 2008 as Charlotte in “13: The Musical.” She then played the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon shows “Victorious” and “Sam & Cat”.
Grande has spoken in the past about playing Glinda being a childhood dream. During her interview with the “Sentimental Men” podcast, she explained how she put aside her music career while filming “Wicked” so she could do the character justice. She even became emotional when discussing the topic out loud. “When something like this happens once in a lifetime, every second counts,” she said, tears streaming from her eyes.
“Wicked” is directed by Jon M. Chu, who also directed the 2021 film adaptation of “In the Heights,” and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The musical will be released in two parts, with the first part debuting in theaters on November 22.
Watch Grande’s full interview with the “Sentimental Men” podcast below: