Ariana Grande's Journey to Becoming Glinda in Wicked
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VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Tal Fox
She's come a long way! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're exploring how Ariana Grande worked to “Break Free” from her pop star persona and become totally Glindafied for the “Wicked” movie adaptation. We'll have a look at her Nickelodeon days, childhood idols, her stint on "The Voice" and more!
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re exploring how Ariana Grande worked to “Break Free” from her pop star persona and become totally Glindafied for the “Wicked” movie adaptation. Are you excited to see Ariana play Glinda? Tell us what you’re hoping she’ll bring to the role in the comments
Back in 2011, Ariana Grande put it out into the universe that playing Glinda in “Wicked” was her dream role. She also told KiddNation that while Elphaba has some great songs, she’s Glinda through and through—and even gave us a glimpse of what that might sound like. In an interview with Zach Sang, she shared that as a kid, she loved Glinda’s bright, bubbly, and comedic personality, but now she resonates more with the character’s conviction. Well, about 10 years after sharing her dream with the world, she hopped on a video call with director Jon M. Chu, who made it all come true.
While most of us know Grande as a Nickelodeon star or from her music career, her roots actually go back to Broadway, where she played Charlotte in the musical “13” when she was just a little older than that herself. But really, Grande’s been in the theater world practically forever—from local productions to belting out show tunes in the car. She once called theater her “soul…[her] heart” and has shown that love for the stage throughout her career. According to Chu, Grande went full fangirl on the production, making sure that the parts of the show she knows will mean everything to the fans aren’t forgotten or left out. But just going back to her overall love of musicals, apparently, she reached out to the “Hairspray Live!” team to ask for a chance to audition. As we know, she ended up playing Tracy’s best friend, Penny Pingleton, and starring alongside OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth. That wasn’t the first time these two met.
Both performers have shared the story of how, when Ari was just a little girl, she got to go backstage at “Wicked” on Broadway, meet Chenoweth, and even sing for her. Chenoweth said she knew right then that this kid had something special. Fast forward several years and there they are co-starring in “Hairspray Live!” Over the years, they stayed tight, with Chenoweth calling herself Grande’s “musical momma.” That connection sure came in handy when Ari floated into Glinda’s bubble. It’s so sweet to see how emotional Chenoweth gets when talking about that full-circle experience. She even handed Ariana the Glinda wand—literally and figuratively—giving her blessing to make the role her own. But before all that, let’s rewind to her audition process.
As any “Wicked” fan knows all too well, a movie adaptation of the musical has been dangled in front of us for what feels like forever. How long exactly? Well, Ariana, who’ll be 31 when part one of “Wicked” finally hits theaters, started chasing this role at just 20 years old. According to Chu, she auditioned for the upcoming movie five times. He also shared that she showed incredible dedication throughout the audition process. While he was initially hesitant to cast such a big pop star, she proved she was more than up to the task each time. He said, “Every time she came in, she was the most interesting person….You just couldn’t take your eyes away.” Still, even though this was her dream role she apparently was more than happy to coach and advise friends of hers who were up for the part, too.
As for her own audition, she poured everything she had into giving herself the best shot. Like many auditionees, she shared that the process was long and intense. She spent about six months working with vocal coaches to get just the right sound and worked on breaking down everything the public thought they knew about her. She came into the whole experience as a blank slate, ready to be transformed into Glinda in her own right. In fact, she was so dedicated that she even had her fellow coaches on “The Voice” breaking a sweat!
As we said, she didn’t want to step into this movie as Ariana Grande: International Pop Star. She knew that if any trace of her pop persona showed up in her Glinda, it might break the magic. So, she gave a big ol’ “Thank U, Next” to the Ari we know, at least for now. If you’ve been a true Ariana stan from the start, you already know she’s a master at reinventing herself. She first made her mark as the ditzy Cat Valentine on “Victorious” and its spin-off “Sam & Cat.” Then, as she transitioned into music, she owned her stage presence and wore her confidence and sexuality unapologetically. Now, she’s entering her Glinda the Good era, and we’re all about to see a whole new side of her.
We’re not saying she went full method, but she’s definitely given this role 120 percent. She talked about having complete tunnel vision and even going as far as getting another phone that was basically just for Chu and her co-star Cynthia Erivo. What’s even more amazing is that she shared how this focus allowed her to set some much-needed boundaries in her life, letting her explore the character deeply and really savor the experience.
So, this was Ariana’s big chance to show fans a side of her they probably hadn’t seen before. To start the process, she decided to go all out with the most swankified makeover. She reportedly told the film’s makeup artist, Frances Hannon, “I don’t want to bring anything from [my] life into our film,” and was totally open to a complete reinvention. A big inspiration for her look came from the 40s and 50s, especially star of screen and style Grace Kelly. Hannon felt that the “beauty and simplicity” of that look would be perfect for Ari.
Apparently, although Grande was fitted with a wig, her hair was also bleached, and if you know her history with the product, you’ll know what a huge commitment that is! Reportedly, she also got a brow lift and had to keep her eyebrows matching her hair, lightening them with a powder roughly once a week. Something to pay attention to when you watch the movie is Glinda’s hair length and hue; they are essentially reflections of her character’s growth and development. Of course, you can’t have the queen of a cosmetic empire without using at least some of her products. The whole look is tied together with some of that special Glinda sparkle.
Now that she looks the part, what about her voice? Fans have noticed that since Ari started promoting the role, her voice has taken on a different register, sounding quite unlike what we remember. She’s worked hard to find that voice, and she’s been quick to defend it. She pointed out that she hasn’t seen male actors getting critiqued for fully committing to their roles. The only reason she feels the need to defend her choices at all is because she’s incredibly proud of the work she’s put into making Glinda her own, and she wants to cherish that.
Perhaps the sweetest part is that Glinda has really made her mark on Grande. Not to get all cheesy, but it sounds like Glinda will always be with her “like a handprint on [her] heart.” Glinda’s journey of personal growth is something Ari connected with deeply. She shared that whenever she tried to go back to who she was before, she felt a pull toward her new self, saying, “I liked that feeling. I loved believing in myself.”
Back in 2011, Ariana Grande put it out into the universe that playing Glinda in “Wicked” was her dream role. She also told KiddNation that while Elphaba has some great songs, she’s Glinda through and through—and even gave us a glimpse of what that might sound like. In an interview with Zach Sang, she shared that as a kid, she loved Glinda’s bright, bubbly, and comedic personality, but now she resonates more with the character’s conviction. Well, about 10 years after sharing her dream with the world, she hopped on a video call with director Jon M. Chu, who made it all come true.
While most of us know Grande as a Nickelodeon star or from her music career, her roots actually go back to Broadway, where she played Charlotte in the musical “13” when she was just a little older than that herself. But really, Grande’s been in the theater world practically forever—from local productions to belting out show tunes in the car. She once called theater her “soul…[her] heart” and has shown that love for the stage throughout her career. According to Chu, Grande went full fangirl on the production, making sure that the parts of the show she knows will mean everything to the fans aren’t forgotten or left out. But just going back to her overall love of musicals, apparently, she reached out to the “Hairspray Live!” team to ask for a chance to audition. As we know, she ended up playing Tracy’s best friend, Penny Pingleton, and starring alongside OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth. That wasn’t the first time these two met.
Both performers have shared the story of how, when Ari was just a little girl, she got to go backstage at “Wicked” on Broadway, meet Chenoweth, and even sing for her. Chenoweth said she knew right then that this kid had something special. Fast forward several years and there they are co-starring in “Hairspray Live!” Over the years, they stayed tight, with Chenoweth calling herself Grande’s “musical momma.” That connection sure came in handy when Ari floated into Glinda’s bubble. It’s so sweet to see how emotional Chenoweth gets when talking about that full-circle experience. She even handed Ariana the Glinda wand—literally and figuratively—giving her blessing to make the role her own. But before all that, let’s rewind to her audition process.
As any “Wicked” fan knows all too well, a movie adaptation of the musical has been dangled in front of us for what feels like forever. How long exactly? Well, Ariana, who’ll be 31 when part one of “Wicked” finally hits theaters, started chasing this role at just 20 years old. According to Chu, she auditioned for the upcoming movie five times. He also shared that she showed incredible dedication throughout the audition process. While he was initially hesitant to cast such a big pop star, she proved she was more than up to the task each time. He said, “Every time she came in, she was the most interesting person….You just couldn’t take your eyes away.” Still, even though this was her dream role she apparently was more than happy to coach and advise friends of hers who were up for the part, too.
As for her own audition, she poured everything she had into giving herself the best shot. Like many auditionees, she shared that the process was long and intense. She spent about six months working with vocal coaches to get just the right sound and worked on breaking down everything the public thought they knew about her. She came into the whole experience as a blank slate, ready to be transformed into Glinda in her own right. In fact, she was so dedicated that she even had her fellow coaches on “The Voice” breaking a sweat!
As we said, she didn’t want to step into this movie as Ariana Grande: International Pop Star. She knew that if any trace of her pop persona showed up in her Glinda, it might break the magic. So, she gave a big ol’ “Thank U, Next” to the Ari we know, at least for now. If you’ve been a true Ariana stan from the start, you already know she’s a master at reinventing herself. She first made her mark as the ditzy Cat Valentine on “Victorious” and its spin-off “Sam & Cat.” Then, as she transitioned into music, she owned her stage presence and wore her confidence and sexuality unapologetically. Now, she’s entering her Glinda the Good era, and we’re all about to see a whole new side of her.
We’re not saying she went full method, but she’s definitely given this role 120 percent. She talked about having complete tunnel vision and even going as far as getting another phone that was basically just for Chu and her co-star Cynthia Erivo. What’s even more amazing is that she shared how this focus allowed her to set some much-needed boundaries in her life, letting her explore the character deeply and really savor the experience.
So, this was Ariana’s big chance to show fans a side of her they probably hadn’t seen before. To start the process, she decided to go all out with the most swankified makeover. She reportedly told the film’s makeup artist, Frances Hannon, “I don’t want to bring anything from [my] life into our film,” and was totally open to a complete reinvention. A big inspiration for her look came from the 40s and 50s, especially star of screen and style Grace Kelly. Hannon felt that the “beauty and simplicity” of that look would be perfect for Ari.
Apparently, although Grande was fitted with a wig, her hair was also bleached, and if you know her history with the product, you’ll know what a huge commitment that is! Reportedly, she also got a brow lift and had to keep her eyebrows matching her hair, lightening them with a powder roughly once a week. Something to pay attention to when you watch the movie is Glinda’s hair length and hue; they are essentially reflections of her character’s growth and development. Of course, you can’t have the queen of a cosmetic empire without using at least some of her products. The whole look is tied together with some of that special Glinda sparkle.
Now that she looks the part, what about her voice? Fans have noticed that since Ari started promoting the role, her voice has taken on a different register, sounding quite unlike what we remember. She’s worked hard to find that voice, and she’s been quick to defend it. She pointed out that she hasn’t seen male actors getting critiqued for fully committing to their roles. The only reason she feels the need to defend her choices at all is because she’s incredibly proud of the work she’s put into making Glinda her own, and she wants to cherish that.
Perhaps the sweetest part is that Glinda has really made her mark on Grande. Not to get all cheesy, but it sounds like Glinda will always be with her “like a handprint on [her] heart.” Glinda’s journey of personal growth is something Ari connected with deeply. She shared that whenever she tried to go back to who she was before, she felt a pull toward her new self, saying, “I liked that feeling. I loved believing in myself.”
