Although she became famous as a teenager due to her work as an actress in two Nickelodeon series, Ariana Grande's path has been that of music, where she has not only sold 90 million albums but has also won two Grammy Awards and countless other accolades. While she has occasionally returned to the screen, she has not taken on a leading role again, waiting for a great opportunity to come her way. This opportunity has arrived with Wicked, the adaptation of the Broadway musical whose second part will hit theaters next year, where she stars alongside Cynthia Erivo. The extensive cast also includes Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage, and Michelle Yeoh.
When did you first see Wicked in the theater?
I was about 10 years old. I was fortunate enough to see the original Broadway cast. I remember being with my mother, and we had raised money for a good cause by auctioning off an opportunity to go backstage and meet the cast. I was very lucky to go with my mother to meet them, and it was a life-changing moment for me. I was captivated by the performance and it stayed in my mind for a long time in a way that had never happened to me before. I remember deleting all the other songs I had on my little pink iPod and only keeping the ones from Wicked. I will never forget how kind all the actors were and how excited I was. I felt like I was floating on a cloud, and it's something that I have always carried in my heart.
Do you remember when your obsession with this world began?
I have always been a big fan of The Wizard of Oz since I was a little girl. And Cynthia felt the same way. We both adored that film from a very young age. I even had a Dorothy dress that I loved to wear. Interestingly, when I wore it, I would pair it with a Scream mask. The truth is, I would sit in front of the TV and study Judy Garland. I would pay attention to how she sang and the way she moved her arms.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the movie
Do you feel there is a connection between Dorothy and Glinda, who is also a young woman trying to find her way in the world?
Of course, I think that's where the beauty of this story lies. The Wizard of Oz and Dorothy, along with all those wonderful characters, have been a refuge for many people who feel lonely, rejected, lost, or are in search of friendship.
Why singing the songs live was important for the movie?
I think that many of these songs are too emotional to use a recording. The truth is that in many of them, it was an exhausting task, singing side by side with Cynthia Erivo. But we had to do it live in solidarity with all the actresses who played Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, and who did 8 shows a week. Even though we had to do many takes for a song, it was a way to show solidarity with our theater witch sisters. But it also requires the material, it's too emotional, too spontaneous to do it any other way.
The story of Elphaba and Glinda portrays a path of friendship, resistance, and mutual companionship. Do you think it is a perfect message for the world we live in?
Of course. It is very contemporary yet eternal, because the forces of evil have always tried to exclude certain people or provoke divisions. And friendships, those profound platonic loves we have with other people, are what have always helped us survive those things. And although I believe that this movie with this message could not have come at a better time, it is something that has always been there, because throughout history we have been able to survive thanks to love and friendship.
I resemble Glinda in that she always wants to be better at everything she does”
What do you feel you have in common with Glinda?
She always wants to be better at everything she does. Her relationship with the people of Oz is very interesting because it resembles the one I have had with my fans over the years, because like her, she tries to give her best, but at the same time, like in her case, sometimes my heart needs healing, love, and care. It is something that I have felt many times in my life. What I like most about Glinda is that, once her encounter with Elphaba has opened her eyes, there is an insatiable desire in her to be better. For a long time, she believed that things had to be a certain way and suddenly discovers that it is not the case, that what it means to be good is something that changes all the time.
How did you prepare for singing and dancing in the movie?
Making Wicked has been a very demanding experience physically for different reasons, but that was a glorious part of the experience. In terms of vocal aspects, I had to acquire a totally different singing style. In my pop music, I blend many things but always within my vocal range. On the other hand, Glinda has an operatic and very classical type of voice. Although I have always had a great vocal range, that singing style requires retraining my voice. That's why I started working with my vocal coach, Eric Vitro, two months before my first audition because I wanted to be ready for any eventuality. I didn't know they were going to ask me to sing. But if they asked for “No One Mourns the Wicked,” I wanted to be prepared. In any case, I had to change everything. Not only my singing voice, but also my way of speaking in my lines. The voice is like any other muscle in the body, it can learn new habits with good training and, above all, with time. In that sense, it was the most rigorous vocal preparation I have undergone.
At the beginning of the movie, Glinda is not necessarily the friendliest person in the world...
Yes. I believe that when the movie begins, Glinda doesn't know that there are other options. She comes from a place where the most important thing is to please others, make them laugh, and until that moment she had never had to consider how that way of being impacted others. Throughout her life, she has been a privileged and pampered woman who was always told she was wonderful, funny, and adorable. But deep down, she has always had a strong sense of morality. You realize that deep down she doesn't want to continue playing that role. I think what makes the friendship work between the two is that they both needed to find each other. Meeting Elphaba is what awakens Glinda from the bubble she lives in. At that moment, she realizes that she is a privileged woman. Suddenly, she sees the impact of her attitude, her selfish behavior, and how it can hurt others. It is then that she decides she won't do it again. She understands that she has to distance herself from those who encourage that behavior in her. It is a key moment in the story. Furthermore, it is the first time someone has dared to challenge her. And in that challenge, there is a gesture of affection. She realizes that she has encountered her first genuine friend. Glinda may be popular, but she doesn't have authentic friends like she will with Elphaba.
Someone who dares to tell the truth...
That's right. And it's at that moment when their minds connect.