Other than a brief studio session to record “Die For You (Remix)” and casually picking up another No. 1 with The Weeknd, Ariana Grande has been fully immersed in Wicked for the last year-plus.
Grande and Cynthia Erivo confirmed in November 2021 that they would play Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, for Jon M. Chu’s forthcoming film adaptation of Wicked, which will be released in two parts.
Grande provided an update today, April 3, from the set in London.
“Halfway,” she captioned an Instagram photo of her standing beneath a full rainbow. “Savoring every millisecond left with my Galinda (although she’ll be with me irrevocably, forever). She shows me so many new things every day.
Grande continued:
“I am so grateful, i don’t know what to do or say… to be here in Oz where everyday is a life changing one… to be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed… to feel so much love around me, to begin each day before the sun is up and to end after it sets… to hold my brilliant twin flame / sister Cynthia’s beautiful, green hands every day… to work in the safest, most beautiful and loving, biggest-yet-most-intimate/tiny-feeling spaces… to be lead by thee most thoughtful, brilliant, compassionate and warmest possible director on this planet, my other Ozian best friend ever Jon… to be transforming and healing parts of me that i never knew needed it. or maybe did.
forgive me for this most cancerian, rambly post. words don’t suffice but i suppose i just wanted to (attempt to) share a little. i don’t want it to end. so while i am still here, present, now, i just wanted to….exclaim my tremendous gratitution ! and allow my heart to overflow. i hope this isn’t all a dream because as present as i am attempting to be, it sure does feel like one. happy halfway to this most beautiful crew. my fellow Ozians. my heart will be stuck here forever.”
Chu shared Grande’s post to his Instagram Story and added, “It’s not a dream. Halfway point. Our Galinda/Glinda emerges for a moment [three heart emojis] love you @arianagrande and @cynthiaerivo so much love and care is being poured into every frame. Just wait.”
Wicked: Part 1 was moved up to November 27, 2024, as The Hollywood Reporter relayed and Chu confirmed on March 14.
Grande has dreamt of leaving her mark in the legacy of Wicked since she was a little girl. Kristen Chenoweth recalled in 2019 to Seth Meyers of meeting a 10-year-old Ariana during her initial run of Wicked and gifting her a wand. Chenoweth has continued to support Grande following in her footsteps.
