For over a decade now, Ariana Grande has been known as one of the biggest and best voices in contemporary pop music. From “Dangerous Woman” and “Bang Bang” to “Yes, And?” and “7 Rings,” the two-time Grammy-winning Boca Raton-bred vocalist has dominated radio and streaming playlists alike with her trademark riffs and genre-blending catalog.
Before she set up a residency in the uppermost regions of the Billboard Hot 100, however, Grande’s primary career was in acting. After all, the most devoted Ariana Grande stans first encountered the star through grainy YouTube clips of her Broadway debut (2008’s 13) or re-runs of Nickelodeon classics Victorious and Sam & Cat. After spending a few years cementing herself as one of the most dominant forces in mainstream music, Grande is making a grand return to acting with not one, but two forthcoming theatrical releases.
Grande is set to star as Glinda the Good Witch in the film adaptation of Wicked, the fourth-longest-running Broadway show of all time, which, in turn, pulls inspiration from the bestselling novel of the same title by Gregory Maguire. Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo is set to play opposite Grande as Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Other notable cast members include Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Tony Award nominee Ethan Slater as Boq, Emmy Award nominee Bowen Yang as Pfannee and Emmy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.
For its transition to the silver screen, Wicked will be split into two separate movie musicals. The first film is slated to hit theatres on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), with the second film following almost exactly a year later on Nov. 26, 2025. The film’s first trailer debuted during the 2024 Super Bowl, giving fans a taste of both the whimsical world crafted by director Jon M. Chu and Erivo’s take on the iconic “Defying Gravity” closing riff.
As we continue to count down the days to Wicked — and her imminent Eternal Sunshine album — take a trip down memory lane a relive the best of Ariana Grande’s acting roles throughout her career so far.
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