Ariana Grande Discusses ‘Wicked’ and Addresses Media Scrutiny in New Candid Interview
With the release of her first major film, Wicked, around the corner, Ariana Grande graces the cover of Vanity Fair, where she discusses the filmmaking process and the significant life changes she experienced during its production.
Grande was cast as “Glinda” in the Wicked film adaptation in 2021, a role she called her dream. In fact, she had tweeted back in 2011 about her desire to play the character. Since the start of filming, however, Grande has faced online scrutiny over her noticeable voice change. Speaking to Vanity Fair, she addressed the criticism, calling it a double standard that unfairly targets women in the industry.
Ariana Grande photographed by Norman Jean Roy for VF.
Read the cover story: https://t.co/b3OiRvwnRR pic.twitter.com/5FxBrAP0lP— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) September 30, 2024
“There is a part of the world that isn’t familiar with what it takes to transform your voice, whether it’s singing or taking on a different dialect for a role or doing a character voice for something, There’s also a double standard that punishes women who go the extra mile for roles.” Grande told Vanity Fair, “When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed.”
During the filming of Wicked, Grande divorced her then-husband Dalton Gomez. Soon after, her relationship with co-star Ethan Slater became public, sparking further scrutiny and allegations of adultery. Grande described these claims as disheartening.
“The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it, that was definitely a tough ride.” Grande continued to Variety. “There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him.”
However, Slater’s portrayal in the media isn’t the only source of frustration for Grande. The singer, who rose to fame at 17 on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, has faced ongoing media attempts to shape their own narrative about her. Grande describes her relationship with the media as ever-evolving.
“I was this approachable, funny redhead on Nickelodeon and everyone liked me. And then I had one too many hit records, and everyone decided that I was an evil diva. And then other terrible things happened, and all of a sudden I was this hero and this victim,” she stated.
Despite her tumultuous relationship with the media, the singer remains proud of her portrayal of Glinda in the highly anticipated Wicked film, set to hit theaters this November.
ariana clocking people left and right in the vanity fair interview i am LIVING pic.twitter.com/ytCPeopWBs— liv (@danqerousliv) September 30, 2024
“I am really proud of my hard work and of the fact that I did give 100 percent of myself, including my physicality, to this role. I am proud of that, so I wanted to protect it,” she shared.
Fans were excited to hear Grande speak her mind in the latest issue of Variety.
You can read the interview here.
