Ariana Grande Says 'Most Emotional Day of My Life' Was First Day Filming 'Wicked'

The Jon M. Chu-directed movie musical releases in November.

May 7, 2024

Woman in elegant attire with butterfly adornments on face poses at an event — Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

Going from Ariana Grande to Glinda the Good Witch was an emotional journey for the Eternal Sunshine artist.

Ahead of her performance with Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo at the 2024 Met Gala, Grande briefly chatted with Variety on the carpet, where she shared that her "first day on set was the most emotional day of my life."

"All I remember was holding hands with Cynthia and Jon and crying," Grande said. "And him [Chu] just saying, 'Welcome to 'Wicked.'

Grande also gushed that the chemistry between her and Erivo works because "she's really truly my sister," as the two even got "For Good" tattoos, named after the Wicked song of the same name.

The first part of Wicked, based on the Broadway musical, will premiere on Nov. 27, 2024, followed by its second installment, which releases in Nov. 2025. On set, Grande also met her new partner, actor Ethan Slater, who plays Munchkin Boq, who falls in love with Grande's character of Glinda.

Along with speaking to Variety, Grande hinted at what Wicked–which lives in the world of the Wizard of Oz–would entail during a chat with Vogue.

"I will say, it was just the most extraordinary, transformative and beautiful experience I've ever had in my life," she said. "I love the project now so much more than I ever did, and I've loved it since I was 10 years old."