Ariana Grande’s performance in 'Wicked' has surprised critics and audiences, earning praise for her comedic and emotional depth.
Grande is even being considered a leading competitor for Best Supporting Actress at the 2025 Oscars.
Grande revealed she channeled personal losses to bring depth to her role.
Wicked has finally arrived and given the fans their desired interpretation of the famous Broadway musical. Jon M. Chu created a musical with performers like Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda joining on a fantastic journey in the world of Oz before Dorothy’s arrival.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked | Credit: Universal Pictures
When the project was first announced, many looked forward to the film, but one thing has been getting everyone’s attention lately. Although the whole movie has been gathering strong feedback, Grande’s performance seems to surprise both the audience and critics.
Critics and Fans React to Ariana Grande’s Performance in Wicked
Ariana Grande in Wicked | Credit: Universal Pictures
The reviews of Wicked have been mostly positive so far. The movie is currently rated 90% by critics and 98% by the audience on Rotten Tomatoes. The pairing of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo has been the highlight of most of the positive feedback of the film.
Jazz Tangcay from Variety said, “Ariana & Cynthia will blow you away” and praised the production design of the film, while Deadline’s Antonia Blyth praised “Erivo and Grande’s next-level talent and laugh-out-loud comedy chops.”
Grande’s performance especially has garnered some praise from critics, like Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist, who wrote, “The pop megastar often delivers startling depth to her character before jumping into a musical number that will have you grinning from ear to ear.”
The positive reviews are not only from experts. Fans have also taken to social media to express their shock at the performance, with many saying they did not expect such acting from Grande, as her singing skills often overshadow her acting.
The response to her performance has been so great that Variety is suggesting that Grande is leading the race for the Best Supporting Actress at the 2025 Academy Awards. The film itself is expected to be nominated for other awards such as the Best Picture and Best Production Design.
This should not be a shock to those fans who have been with Grande since her time in theater and TV. The pop icon has worked in shows and movies like Sam & Cat, Swindle, and Don’t Look Up, and her performances on SNL have always been entertaining.
Personal Loss Shaped Ariana Grande’s Performance in Wicked
Ariana Grande in Wicked | Credit: Universal Pictures
In a recent interview with BBC, Grande talked about how she channeled some of her personal losses in her performance as Glinda. She said,
Losing someone you love is something we’ve all, unfortunately, had to experience — and sometimes we have the privilege to say goodbye and sometimes we don’t.
This emotional depth may be attributed to two tragedies in her life. The first one is the Manchester concert bombing that occurred in 2017 and led to many people getting killed. The second might be the death of her former boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, in 2018.
Grande especially, finds it meaningful to be a part of Wicked. The singer-actress said to BBC that it was one of the first Broadway shows she ever watched as a child, so working in it felt like “homecoming” to her. She added,
This music has always brought such comfort and now being able to spend time with it and be trusted with it is the privilege of a lifetime.
These personal experiences have apparently given a new dimension to Ariana Grande’s performance and surprised herself, as well as the audience. She managed to do both comedy, staying true to the character’s nature, as well as portraying serious emotions within it.
