FULL LENGTH: "It's Wicked! It Has to Be Earned!" (with Ariana Grande)

Summary

Sentimental Men Podcast Episode Summary: "It's Wicked! It Has to Be Earned!" (with Ariana Grande)

Podcast Information:

• Title: Sentimental Men
• Host/Author: Broadway Podcast Network
• Description: Sentimental Men. Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi talk (and maybe scream) about their favorite women in musical theatre.
• Episode: FULL LENGTH: "It's Wicked! It Has to Be Earned!" (with Ariana Grande)
• Release Date: December 2, 2024

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Introduction

In this special full-length episode of Sentimental Men, hosts Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi dive deep into the highly anticipated film adaptation of the beloved musical Wicked. The episode features an exclusive interview with pop sensation and Broadway hopeful, Ariana Grande, alongside acclaimed actress Cynthia Erivo.

Thanksgiving and Wicked Reflections

The episode kicks off with a casual conversation between Quincy, Kevin, and Cynthia Erivo about their Thanksgiving experiences. Cynthia shares, “[01:05] I saw Wicked with Connor for the third time, and he thought Cynthia's vocal performance was truly astonishing.”

They discuss the film’s costumes, noting their appeal to both drag queens and cosplayers due to their intricate details. Cynthia muses, “[02:35] The costumes are brilliant. They're so specific, visual, and there's so much detail to replicate.”

Listener Reactions

Listeners are encouraged to send in their reactions to the Wicked movie. Matthew from Cincinnati shares his thoughts at [11:15], expressing awe at the film’s emotional depth and vocal performances: “[11:21] It just was unbelievable. The vocals were astounding.”

Quincy and Kevin highlight the film’s faithful adaptation, with Cynthia asserting, “[05:00] It's the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical, even beating Grease.”

Exclusive Interview with Ariana Grande

Ariana’s Journey with Wicked

Ariana Grande opens up about her long-standing relationship with Wicked, recounting her first Broadway experience at age 10. “[22:52] When I was 10, I got to see the original Broadway cast of Wicked.” She describes the profound impact the show had on her, highlighting memorable moments like meeting Kristin Chenoweth and receiving a magical wand.

Auditioning for Glinda

Detailing her audition process, Ariana shares the intense preparation she undertook: “[36:02] I started acting and voice lessons every day to prepare for Glinda.” Her first audition involved singing “One Short Day,” where she arrived “45 minutes early” and exuded enthusiasm, “[39:05] I was blasting 'One Short Day' and was clearly campaigning for Glinda.”

Working with Cynthia Erivo

Ariana emphasizes the strong bond formed with Cynthia Erivo, stating, “[44:20] We immediately formed that because without that, nothing else works.” She appreciates their mutual support system, crucial for navigating the demanding filming schedule. “[62:48] We took care of each other and formed a real true friendship.”

Filming Experiences and Challenges

Ariana recounts memorable scenes, such as the emotional "Oz Dust" sequence: “[64:45] The Oz dust scene was a turning point, holding space for Elphaba and Cynthia.” She also discusses the practical effects used in the film, debunking fears of excessive CGI: “[87:32] The only thing that is CG is the animals. Everything else was practical.”

Character Exploration

Delving into Glinda’s character, Ariana reflects on finding balance between honoring the original portrayal and bringing her unique flair: “[47:10] I wanted to find my Glinda while honoring what we’ve known and loved for so many years.” She highlights the depth of Glinda’s character, her relationship with the animals, and the emotional weight she carries: “[64:45] Glinda walks a tightrope between performing for others and dealing with her own grief and loss.”

Memorable Moments on Set

Ariana shares humorous and heartfelt anecdotes from set, including spontaneous choreography ideas and emotional connections with fellow cast members: “[68:34] John choreographed a moment in minutes, and we decided to go for it.” She praises the dedication of her co-stars, especially Cynthia, noting their shared emotional experiences: “[94:18] Everyone cried every day. We all cried.”

Future Prospects and Gratitude

Expressing immense gratitude, Ariana reflects on the journey and looks forward to future projects: “[55:36] It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I'm so grateful for everything.” She acknowledges the support from her team and the importance of dedicating herself fully to the role: “[52:54] I gave my full self to Glinda and honored her character.”

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with rapid-fire questions that showcase the camaraderie and lightheartedness among the cast. Ariana humorously navigates the playful banter, demonstrating the strong relationships built during the production.

Cynthia and Kevin invite listeners to tune in for future episodes featuring more insights and interviews, ensuring audiences remain engaged and excited for what's to come in the world of Wicked and beyond.

Notable Quotes:

• “[05:00] It's the highest grossing movie based on a Broadway musical, even beating Grease.” – Cynthia Erivo
• “[36:02] I started acting and voice lessons every day to prepare for Glinda.” – Ariana Grande
• “[64:45] The Oz dust scene was a turning point, holding space for Elphaba and Cynthia.” – Ariana Grande
• “[94:18] Everyone cried every day. We all cried.” – Ariana Grande

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Note: This summary focuses on capturing the essence of the podcast's content, highlighting key discussions, insights, and memorable moments shared by the guests. Advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections have been excluded to maintain focus on the core material.

Transcript

[Ariana Grande]

Hi, y'all. This is Kristin Chenoweth. Hi, I'm Gloria Steflin. This is Sara Bareilles. Hi, I'm Patti LuPone. This is Lin Manuel Miranda.

[Kevin]

You're listening to the Broadway Podcast Network.

[Tyler]

Hi, I'm Tyler, founder of Cozy Earth.

[Ariana Grande]

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[Cynthia Erivo]

Them something that helps them feel better.

[Tyler]

Sleep better, and add superior luxury to their everyday life? If you sleep in our sheets for.

[Ariana Grande]

100 nights and don't absolutely love your experience, we'll refund your money, no questions asked. This year, give the gift of Cozy Earth. Once they try it, they'll never go back.

[Kevin]

Use code Spotify@cozy earth.com and save up to 40%.

[Ariana Grande]

That's cozy earth.com Spotify. Hi, I'm Ariana Grande. Hi, I'm Cynthia Erivo, and you're listening to the Sentimental Men Podcast. Visit VPN FM to discover more.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's turkey lurkey time. Tom Turkey ran away.

[Kevin]

Is there killer key time?

[Cynthia Erivo]

How was your Thanksgiving, Kevin?

[Kevin]

It ended up being pretty low key because we were supposed to go to my family in New Jersey, but Connor got sick the day before, so we ended up staying home and we just had, like, our own Thanksgiving, which ended up. Which was perfectly nice. So, yeah, it ended up being different than what we expected it to be.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Did you make all the works, you and Connor?

[Kevin]

Yeah, we did. Well, we did some of the works. We're picky eaters, so we were bringing our own food to my brother's house anyway, so we had everything we needed. We just had to heat it up ourselves.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Cute. And you saw Wicked with Connor? I saw.

[Kevin]

I saw Wicked with Connor. My third time seeing it.

[Cynthia Erivo]

What was his take?

[Kevin]

He thought that Cynthia's vocal performance was truly astonishing. And he thought, like, very much in that Idina way of when she kept the lid on her vocal powerhouse and when she sang the House down. Boots was so intentional and selective. So he really loved that. He thought that Ms. Ariana, same as us, was paying homage to all the girlies that came before her in the appropriate places. He obviously had so much more to say about the costumes than either of us do.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I've seen a lot of drag queens praising the costumes in the film.

[Kevin]

Well, what's not to praise? They're brilliant.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Not that Connor's a drag queen.

[Kevin]

Not that Connor. On that topic, I think the costumes are great for drag queens and for cosplayers because they're so specific, visual, and they're so specific. Yeah. There are details to replicate that. It's like, it's easy to tell if somebody is doing a good replication or not. So I think we're gonna see a lot of drag queens cosplayers Halloween next year.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

Very detailed recreations.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I'm sad we never did our Ariana and Cynthia super bowl recreation for Halloween this year.

[Kevin]

I know, but speaking of the Super Bowl, I was just literally today thinking, I'm like, oh, gosh, we had Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked, Wicked for so long. And now it's gonna be like, nothing. We have a whole year. And then I was like, no, Kevin. It was literally like February 9th when the trailer came out last year. So we have, like, six weeks to go.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Did you see that? Universal marketing, like, responded to something saying that, no, the marketing isn't going to continue through Movie two. They're going to go away because how can you miss us if we don't go away? Yeah, I hear that. I don't buy it. Because by the time the press and marketing dies down for Wicked one, it will just naturally be time to have to start promoting the second movie. Plus, Oscars are gonna happen, and they're gonna have to start pushing for Oscars. Like, there's no way it can actually die down.

[Kevin]

They're gonna do an Oscar campaign before they start selling us Wicked too, is what I think that means.

[Cynthia Erivo]

But I still think we're in store for Wicked all year.

[Kevin]

Cause it's like they're gonna be selling us this movie until the end of.

[Cynthia Erivo]

The calendar year and then some, I think.

[Kevin]

And then it's gonna get pulled from the. Or whenever it gets pulled from theaters. And so then by that point, then it's Oscar season or it's awards season. So it's like, now they don't have to sell us the movie because everyone's gonna be talking about it anyway.

[Cynthia Erivo]

The nominations are gonna be selling the movie.

[Kevin]

The wins are gonna be selling the movie.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I do think the massive success. I mean, we should talk about it. The highest grossing movie musical adaptation of all time.

[Kevin]

I think. Let's get the quote right.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah. Highest grossing movie based on a Broadway musical.

[Kevin]

Wow.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I think, like, Grease was holding it and then it beat Grease.

[Kevin]

That's insane.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's insane that it's doing exactly what everyone wanted it to do, though. Like, so rarely do you get to experience these moments where what you want to happen happens.

[Kevin]

Yeah.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I also saw Wicked again for my fourth and fifth time over the Thanksgiving weekend in Madrid. The first time I went with Matt. And it was in English and it was his first time seeing it and he really loved it. He got Emote. We were talking about it after, and he got emotional and started crying because he was saying it was so beautiful that they just trusted the material. As opposed to. In so many movie adaptations, they try and fix or add or change or.

[Kevin]

Blah, blah, blah, or distract you with a concept or whatever.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yes, he thought it was really beautiful that they just trusted the material. And then it worked so well and has proven to work so well. And then the second time, so I was very concerned about the Spanish dubbing. The first time I bought tickets because I was like, as much as I would love to hear the Spanish dubs, because it was done by Wicked Mexico, Elphaba and Glinda, Dana Paula and Cece de la Cueva.

[Kevin]

Uh huh. Which is iconic.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah. So I definitely wanted to hear that. I was not quite ready to move away from Cynthia and Ariana yet. So then the first movie, I just bought tickets and it was in English and I was very happy. This gay man in front of us before the movie started turned around to the entire theater and said, hola, chica Z Gays. And everyone kind of laughed and he was like, no, no.

[Quincy]

Yeah.

[Cynthia Erivo]

And then the second time we went, I just bought tickets again, not thinking about it. And then we sit down and all of the trailers that I had seen two days prior that were in English were now dubbed Spanish. So I was like, oh, record scratch. And the movies, movie stars here, Glinda. And I was like, oh, this is the Spanish dub. But what's really cool is before, before, like the movie starts, they kind of do this, like Star wars text on screen thing. And it was in Spanish and it said the land of Oz. To the land of Oz. A wonderful land where magic. It was in Spanish. This is Google translated. A wonderful land where magic is real. Where a magician rules from his Emerald City, where animals can talk and once lived in harmony with humans. But in recent years, discord and discontent spread throughout the territory and some began to blame the animals. The problems got worse when a powerful witch began to terrorize Oz. Today, the evil witch has finally been defeated. After his death, the emissary of the magician, which I think is the translation for the wizard of Oz, the emissary of the magician, Glinda labuena, is in charge of announcing the good news. And that was fascinating to me that, like, it got that preamble because the wizard of Oz is not as culturally relevant in Spain. Like that scrolled on screen before the movie began. We didn't get that in America.

[Kevin]

No. That's interesting.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It was like a full designed text thing.

[Kevin]

I love the translation of the wizard being the magician because it implies a level of trickery that wizard does not. I know you just said a whole thing, but I was thinking about that the whole time.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah. I just thought it was really fascinating that they play that before the movie in Spain.

[Kevin]

That is really interesting. Hmm. Hmm. Glinda la Buena.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Glinda la buena. So for my fifth viewing, I saw it in Spanish, which was actually really fun. And we took Matt's kids and I was giving. They were. Obviously didn't know what was happening. Yeah. But it was fun because I was quite literally whispering the English in their ears as the movie was going along. And I was like, damn, I know this show.

[Kevin]

Ye. So at school we started our musical theater unit. So of course I started it with Wicked, because I'm not a monster. So what we did was we watched the wizard and I, and we watched no Good Deed, and then we talked about what are the differences between the two bootlegs? Bootlegs?

[Cynthia Erivo]

Who?

[Kevin]

Jessica Vosk.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Okay.

[Kevin]

Partially because of who she is, partially because there are two good quality bootlegs of her. Partially because I wanted to inspire the kids with her story of being in banking and knowing she was meant for Broadway. And they were very gagged by that. So the first video, the wizard and I, the title of it was, jessica Vosk is so happy she can melt. So then we watch the second video, and I'm like, what do you guys think? Like, what? What? What are your reactions? And this kid who never talks raises his hand and goes, now Jessica Vosk is mad.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I do want to see Wiccan on stage again.

[Kevin]

I feel like it's been so long.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I will say my fourth and fifth viewings of the movie breezed by. I am now convinced I can sit through this movie as many times as necessary. Should we listen? We've been getting some listener reactions to the movies. Yes, we have some fun things in store for these reactions. So please keep sending us Voice Memos to sentmenpodmail.com Voice Memos as an attachment to the [e-mail] if you send us.

[Kevin]

A voice note on Instagram, it's not making it. I'm sorry.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's tough. Just technically, it's tough to get it transferred into the episode. So please make our lives easy. But we do want to hear from you. Let's listen to Matthew's.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay.

[Tyler]

Okay, guys, listen. I Just saw the movie and I think you're taking reactions. Right, man.

[Kevin]

Right.

[Quincy]

Yes.

[Tyler]

This is Matt coming in from Cincinnati, Ohio. I just had chills the whole 2 hours and 40 minutes. I mean, it just. It just was unbelievable. And, you know, so many things got me. But the thing that's on my mind right now is the acting beats that Cynthia and Ari could take because it was on screen, because there was more time, because the cameras were up close on their faces. You could see so much of what I think on stage is kind of emotional subtext. You could see it on their faces so much better. And it just. It like cut me deep, deep into my soul. That Ozda scene was something else. Like I lost my mind. It just was excellent. And of course, the music was great. The vocals were astounding. But one theory. I went with a friend who knew the book better than the Broadway show, the original book. And Slay was talking about how this movie stayed true to the book. And from what you guys have talked about, I'm thinking that means there was more to do with the Animals. It was probably a reflection of that first act having been two and a half hours long or whatever it was before it got cut. And I think he wondered, or maybe I wonder.

[Ariana Grande]

I don't.

[Tyler]

We were talking about this, like, what if. What if. What if Elphaba dies in this movie? Do you think they would do that? I'm going to leave that there. But thank you guys for everything that you do. I joke with you guys all the time that you make me spend all my money because now I know about all these amazing performers and I go see them and I love it. So I'm not upset. But yeah, thank you guys for everything you do. You've totally changed my sense of appreciation for this show, for everything about it. So that's great. Love you guys.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Awesome.

[Ariana Grande]

Aw.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Love you, Matthew.

[Kevin]

Very intrigued by this line of thought.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I think one thing that is very true about this first movie is that it's pretty strict to Wicked on stage a little bit. We've said this before. It is Act 1 of Wicked the musical. Just everything has a little bit more room to breathe. So if I was judging by that, I would say they're probably not going to do something as drastic as kill Elphaba in the second movie just because this first movie has been so faithful to Wicked as it appears on stage.

[Kevin]

Mm. Also a no for me, because the answer to that question is in the first shot of this first part.

[Quincy]

Wait, wait, wait.

[Kevin]

Am I allowed to say it? This is A spoilers episode, right?

[Cynthia Erivo]

Is it in the movie?

[Kevin]

Yeah.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah. We can talk about the movie.

[Kevin]

Yeah. When the camera first goes over the hat and out the window, you see Fiero's horse riding away, and then you see Dorothy and the boys walking down the elaborate road. So you know it's not Fiero on his horse because he's the scarecrow walking down the Ellaborg road. So I believe at the end of the second movie, that's Elphaba. That's Elphaba, yeah. Escaping Oz.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Can you see the person on the horse?

[Kevin]

You see it's from the back and, like, way, way above.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Hmm.

[Kevin]

I'm gonna watch for it closer next time.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I know now I have to.

[Kevin]

Which.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Go ahead.

[Kevin]

What a better last image for the show is like Elphaba grounded at last, riding away on a horse. Much better than Hand In Hand with the boy into the sunset.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Now your timeline's confusing me because I still think we're ending with Hand in Hand riding into the sunset.

[Kevin]

No, I don't think so.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I think wizard of Oz timeline mashed over the Wicked timeline. The foursome walking up to the wizard of Oz is pre Elphaba melting.

[Kevin]

No, no, no, no, no, no. It's them walking away after. Cause he's like, fetch me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West. And they go. And they melt her. And they take the broom with them back.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Oh, I always thought that shot was them walking to the Emerald City.

[Kevin]

No. Cause it's after we go from the puddle with the hat. So the witch has melted.

[Quincy]

Yeah.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I guess I wasn't really thinking all of that was happening at the same time. And they were kind of just giving us a montage of vibes.

[Kevin]

Mm. I took it very literally. So.

[Cynthia Erivo]

We'Ll figure it out in a year.

[Kevin]

If there's one thing I've come to appreciate about John M. Chu, as a director, after having watched his film, his magnum opus three times, is that everything is for a reason.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Well, I'm also wondering, do you think we're going to see, like, no One Mourns the Wicked in Part two? No. Do you think we're going to see Glinda getting in her bubble to go down and talk to the Oz people in Part two?

[Kevin]

Yes.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I think there could be some cool same shots from Movie one and Movie two.

[Kevin]

Agreed. Agreed.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Because I've just been wondering how they're going to tie that thread that we started at the end. You know what I'm saying? Also a reason why I was grateful. Why the prelude text in the Madrid showing of the movie made sense to me is because it clearly sets up. We are starting at the end of all this nonsense, which is like, if you're walking into the movie without a lot of context of the wizard of Oz and Wicked, that maybe could be confusing.

[Kevin]

Especially because then we go back the going back.

[Quincy]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kevin]

Which I think is my favorite part of the movie.

[Cynthia Erivo]

You love that. You light up every time you talk about that part.

[Kevin]

It's so. It's okay. It's everything about it, though. It's the inclusion of the For Good theme. So much better than da da da.

[Ariana Grande]

Da da da da.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Sure.

[Kevin]

Da da da da da da da.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

The for good theme. Instant waterworks for me. The hands, the shot of Glinda putting her head on the shoulder, which is only there. It's nowhere else in the movie.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I know. I'm wondering if that got cut from Obiwan or for.

[Kevin]

Or is it gonna come in Act 2. I also love it. If it only exists in that little memory.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's that one flash and then.

[Kevin]

Are you kidding? Ariana Grande's delivery of At School is perfect. Just watch it. Watch for it specifically next time you see this movie.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Sorry, I have the Spanish dub version in my head. You know what was cool about the dub?

[Kevin]

What?

[Cynthia Erivo]

They had to copy their line readings and riffs. So you were getting Spanish versions of the specific riffs and runs that Ariana and Cynthia did. And only that, like, they had to do a, like, Bible recreation of the Cynthia Ariana performance.

[Kevin]

My, my, how the tables have turned on Wicked. The musical riffs are the Bible. That's very interesting. And an element of international film release that I did not know.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I also will say I just flew back and I was listening to the Wicked soundtrack. Obviously, I did not anticipate this soundtrack to have such a chokehold on me because we obviously know the music. The orchestrations are gorgeous.

[Kevin]

Stunning. They're so lush.

[Cynthia Erivo]

They're so gorgeous.

[Kevin]

And a lot of the choral arrangements are fleshed out as well, which I love that we've now learned. All of the, like, ensemble vocals are like Broadway alum.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

I'm glad Alyssa Fox is in this movie.

[Cynthia Erivo]

And Carol Lindsay. And Carol Lindsay, I hear. I think it's one short day. It sounds like there's a choir of kids singing at one point.

[Kevin]

Really?

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah. Go back and listen to it. I'm, like, pretty positive.

[Kevin]

Oh, wait, but there is. No. There is because there's a separate section in the credits that say, like, children vocals or something.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Oh, really?

[Kevin]

And one of Them is Stephen Armis. Child, daughter, I think. And I'm thinking it's probably a lot of people's little kids.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's a nice touch. It adds a fun energy. One short day is really hitting for me on the soundtrack. What is this feeling? And Dancing Through Life is so good. I love what they did with Dancing Through Life on the soundtrack.

[Kevin]

I do too. And I second your what you said about what is this feeling that has really had a hold on me and on the entire world, it would seem.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

Try as I might, I cannot. I can't do the.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Okay, we have to get into our extended episode with Ms. Ariana Grande. There's some really fun moments. We talk about the popular, the extended popular. We talk about some fangirl moments that she insisted remain in the movie. One really, really gagged us. Enjoy. And then next week we'll be back for Cynthia's extended. Anything else, Kevin?

[Kevin]

That's it. Enjoy.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I'm Quincy. And I'm Kevin and this is Sentimental Men.

[Kevin]

We're here to talk and maybe scream about our favorite women in musical theater.

[Ariana Grande]

If you love Broadway gossip, you are not gonna wanna miss any episode of this podcast. Singular sensation, the triumph of Broadway.

[Kevin]

Plenty of dramas unfold onstage, but the.

[Ariana Grande]

Best dramas unfold backstage. And there were no bigger dramas than behind the scenes of Sunset Boulevard. So you were being crucified over here, but not there? No, no, because I was turning in a performance that would get standing of Asians. Excuse me. So check out my podcast, Singular Sensation for all the juicy details of Sunset Boulevard.

[Quincy]

Ariana Grande, thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you for having me. I'm so glad that we can do this. And you know, we didn't coordinate or anything. I know that just we just happen to wear.

[Quincy]

But I'm jealous of the pink shoes.

[Kevin]

Especially me, jealous.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you so much. I'll see what I can do. I thought they made like. I thought they were doing pink ones and green ones and people were just getting like, look at the draw. Pink or green. But then no one else had them in there.

[Quincy]

Those are limited edition.

[Ariana Grande]

I thought that was the plan and then I was wrong. What year is it?

[Quincy]

I can't believe you're here right now. Cannot thank you enough for joining.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you for having me. I'm honored. I'm such a fan and I love you, your show.

[Kevin]

Thank you.

[Quincy]

So we start every interview with, how did Wicked the musical enter your life as a normal person? What is your first touch point with the show?

[Ariana Grande]

Wicked the musical entered my Life. When I was 10, I got to see the original Broadway cast. I was very, very, very fortunate to see them. And I. It was during the Broadway cares, Equity Fights aids when they do the. The auctions after the show. And I kept bidding, and my mom was like, that's enough. Oh, my God. But they were. They were auctioning off a backstage tour, and we.

[Quincy]

And had you known about Wicked prior or was it just a random thing that your mom bought tickets?

[Ariana Grande]

No, it was just the show that everyone was talking about. And we love the wizard of Oz and I love Judy Garland, and I've always been a huge wizard of Oz person, so, you know, the untold story of the Witches of Oz. We were like, count us in. And I don't think we had any idea what we were in for. I knew we were all just kind of life before and after Wicked, you know, like, there are so few things that I feel that way about, but it's like, you know, when art can shake you like that, I just. Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. Sorry. That might. That might happen a lot. Just. That might happen a lot, a lot. So let's just get it. I'm so sorry. I think they're okay. That's the whole story. I mean, really, it just moved us so much. And I remember getting the soundtrack and learning all the words within the first week of having it. I mean, I loved it so much. I got to. Oh, yeah. Again, we did the auction and we got to go backstage and meet everyone. And I remember Adina gave me a little green bracelet and just being so excited to meet everyone. And Kristen was just over the top, kind and generous. She gave me a little wand which feels so full circle and insane, and a body wash that had glitter in it. And she said it was magical. And now I really believe that it was. Wow. And it was just a really beautiful experience. And I have loved it and turned to it for comfort ever since. Like, the soundtrack has always been such a safe space for me, and I've always listened to it if I was nervous about something or to warm up. You know, it's funny because I started in musical theater and pop music sort of. I think my dogs are gonna howl and sing along note because they're sirens and they might react to that. So just worry.

[Quincy]

Are sirens.

[Ariana Grande]

No, no, no, they're mine. I'm sorry that I came with so many.

[Kevin]

No, it's. We were allowed to. We're allowed to.

[Ariana Grande]

What was I saying? Oh, yes. Um. But yeah, I don't know. Musical theater And Wicked in particular were always kind of my most grounding and comforting things that I would turn to.

[Quincy]

What was your first musical love growing up a musical theater girly? What kind of like, gave you the bug?

[Ariana Grande]

I don't even. I mean, I don't know. I mean, maybe wizard of Oz. Oh, Myron, I'm so sorry.

[Kevin]

I think I should.

[Ariana Grande]

Should I let him out really quickly and then come right back? I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry. This is a full time. This is my full time life. This is my full time job. I'm so sorry. I work for Myron Doom. Got signal to you? Okay, good boy. Yeah, absolutely. Hold on. I'm so sorry. Okay. To lose you too. Absolutely. Nothing's there. I'm coming back. I'm so. I'm so sorry. Hi.

[Kevin]

It's okay. It's okay.

[Ariana Grande]

Hi.

[Kevin]

So if you're saying Broadway's kind of like your first love, your first, or musicals are kind of your first touch point, and then as pop music kind of entered your life, what was that conversation like internally between like, well, here's this pop music career that is happening. How does that interact with my Broadway dreams?

[Quincy]

Because when you're in 13, are you now thinking, okay, I'm gonna grow up and be a Broadway diva. This is my path, or was there other options on the table?

[Ariana Grande]

Well, I had always hoped to do a little bit of both. And because I loved writing and I loved singing as well, and I loved pop music too. But I never figured it would come my whole life the way that it did for a decade. Really, it was kind of the only thing and that I didn't see coming. I just kind of. I loved theater, loved being on Broadway, I loved going to shows. And my favorite thing in the world about musical theater was that it also integrated comedy. There's so much comedy. And that's always been something that has made my heart so happy is comedy. It's one of my favorite things in the world. So I don't know, I think I pictured it being more. I think I pictured myself being more of a theater person. And like, I would make music too, and hopefully I would have a little fan base that would be into my albums and do a little bit. Like. And I remember, like, people at the time, like, were would make fun of me for it and they were like, oh, like, what are you gonna do music? And like, have fans and whatever. And I was like, I don't know, maybe, I don't know. But it was, it was funny because, yeah, I've Never really talked about it, but when I was younger, some people actually like lightly bullied me about it and we're like, oh, you're always singing, like whatever. It was just, it was a strange, interesting thing. But yeah, it's really funny. I don't think I expected for pop to become the only thing for such a long time, but I'm very grateful for everything, of course, but it's funny.

[Quincy]

But I do imagine when your pop career is careering, it becomes then difficult to find your way to the stage. Do you feel like you kind of have to segment it out when you're in the bag of either Lane?

[Ariana Grande]

Well, yeah, just because it's so strange. Like to me, I've been doing what I've been doing since I'm 8 years old and I know what I love to do and can do and you know, being a part of shows and auditioning and, you know, that's such a happy, fun thing in my, in my youth, in my life. But it's funny because people need to. And this is something that I loved about auditioning so much for Wicked was that like it has to be earned. Anything as you know, on this scale, being a part of anything, I think isn't. It's not just like given because they know you for one thing. So it's fun to kind of have the challenge of reframing people's perception and kind of like doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces because. Because it's not just a no brainer. Because I know what happened one time, a long time ago, you know, I don't know.

[Kevin]

Right, right.

[Ariana Grande]

Was that the question? No, not at all. It was so long ago.

[Kevin]

Well, I think that's interesting though is like what you're saying about feeling like you want to earn your way back into these other spaces because I think it would probably be easy for you in the position that you're in to just be like, I would like to be in a Broadway show, who will have me? You know, but it's like the fact that you want to earn that and you want to be.

[Quincy]

It needs to be valid. You don't want to just walk in because you are Ariana Grande.

[Ariana Grande]

Well, I feel, I mean that's for you, that's so ridiculous. But no, I really do feel like it's the opposite. I feel like it's the opposite in a lot of ways. And I think, well, that's how I see it anyway. And it's funny because people sometimes say that to me they're like you had audition. I'm like, yeah, of course. What are you out of your board? It's. It's wicked. And it requires a totally different skill set than people know me for and have ever seen me do anything like. And of course it's wicked. That's the most respectful thing you have to do. It has to be earned, period. And I think that's kind of. I think it was the opposite. I think it was. It can work against me, you know, in certain, in certain ways. Because, you know, when, when you have this caricaturized Persona that's out there and people know you very well as this one thing. It's like, how, you know, is this person going to be able to erase that and disappear into a character that we need them to offer themselves to this greater story, you know? And it's not that. It's not about them. This isn't about me. So that's what I love, and I missed so much about acting though, is because with music I feel like I have so much of my own stuff intertwined, like my own pain, my own stories, my own. It's very self aggrandizing and very self whatever. And I feel like with acting you get to use those pieces of yourself while honoring something way bigger than you and find new homes for these traumas and these things and these pieces of yourself that you know. But also it's not about you. It's about giving to a character that you get to love and to know. And that's a nice. That's a really beautiful. I can't even explain it. Extraordinary experience. It's like the best thing. It's such a. It's such a gift and a cool thing. I'm so grateful I got to do this.

[Quincy]

Okay, I want to hear all about the movie audition, but before we get into it, can you just paint a picture? You see Wicked on Broadway that first time. What did Ariana Grande as a Wicked fan look like? What bootlegs were you watching? Who were the ladies you were into?

[Ariana Grande]

Oh my gosh. When I was. I mean, like at that age, I was. I had like my curly brown hair and a little headband in. I went with my family and I just was. I adored them. I like studied the cast. I just, I completely adored them. I went home and I googled them all and I was such a fan. I remember I had a little ipod and I deleted everything else on the ipod except click it. I was like, I don't need to hear anything else ever again. Yes, that was me.

[Kevin]

Ipods held, like, six songs at that point.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah. Even if they held more, it was not what I wanted.

[Quincy]

And I imagine you saw it multiple times after seeing it that first time.

[Ariana Grande]

I did. I was very lucky. My mom definitely spoiled me, and I got to go see it a few times, so that was really cool. But I went early. Like, I went when it was the original Broadway cast, and then I didn't see it again for many years. So that was my. It's so. I'm, like, so lucky. It's such a crazy experience.

[Quincy]

Okay, so now take us inside the movie audition. When was the first time the prospect of auditioning came across your desk?

[Ariana Grande]

Okay, so the prospect of auditioning came across my desk, actually way before they had even attached John, which is crazy. And it was just a murmuring of a something. And.

[Quincy]

Pre pandemic.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, pre pandemic. Okay. And I remember I was on the Sweetener tour, and I said to my team, I said, if this is happening now, we have to figure it out. We got to pull the plug on this tour. I'm going home. I'm getting in voice lessons. I'm getting in acting lessons, and I'm gonna turn this shit out. I need to. No, you need to hear from me right now. If this is happening now, I'm going home and I'm training. I'm getting ready. This is all I want. And I'm going, it's done. It doesn't matter. We'll figure it out. And my team was like, well, that's insane. No. And I was like, well, yeah. And they were like, okay. So it was.

[Quincy]

And at that point, was it for Glinda or Elphaba?

[Ariana Grande]

I had an inkling in my heart always that it was gonna be Glinda, but I was hearing really mixed things from people who were like, oh, they want you to maybe read for both or whatever. And I was like, well, I guess that's because they don't know what my voice is maybe can do. And maybe they, like, think vocally I might be better suited for Elphaba. But that's the fun. And that's, like, what I think. I think I secretly knew that I could, you know, was only meant to for Glinda, but. And that's, you know, for a few, like, different reasons. We can talk about later. But I just kind of knew that that was what it was. But either way, I was going to be open to the conversation. And I basically was just like, hello, let's talk, whatever it is. And I even, like, floated the idea for Us, Linda. A few times, and nothing. There was nothing. It was just like, okay, we think this is coming up. And I was like, when? And then they said, in the next couple of years. So that was when I kind of became very alert and very aware, and I. That was like, kind of around the time that I. No. In the middle of the pandemic, I kind of started working with Nancy Banks, my acting coach. But it was just on random stuff, just on, like, monologues and plays and whatever, just because we wanted to start using that muscle.

[Kevin]

Keep the instrument.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, using the muscle and, like, playing around. And then I finally got wind of, okay, it's happening for real in 2021. No, that's not true. Oh, no, I don't remember. Wait, my audition. No, because my first audition was August 13, 2021. Yeah. 2021.

[Quincy]

Your first real audition?

[Ariana Grande]

Yes, my first real audition was August 13, 2021.

[Quincy]

Okay.

[Ariana Grande]

And I. Yeah, but before that, when I. When I heard that they were gonna start seeing people, I went just straight into vocal and acting lessons every day. This is when I was filming the Voice, and I was. I would basically start my day with my lessons, and then I'd go shoot the show. And.

[Quincy]

And at that time, what in your head is like, okay, I need to work on this if I'm going to be going in for Wicked.

[Ariana Grande]

I wanted to just basically strengthen and change my kind of, like, vocal muscles and how they are, because I do have a high range, but it's a very different thing, you know, than what's required of Glinda. So I really wanted to train so that I could sound as authentically operatic as possible and really use those muscles, because it's been a long time and of singing one certain way, and your vocal cords are just like any other muscle in the body. They get used to a certain thing, Right? Yeah. So I had to kind of dig in, and really, I wanted to do it every day to train them to behave and so that it was natural and that it was healthy and it sounded really full and warm and how it's supposed to for Glinda, because I had been singing one specific way for such a long time. But, yeah, I sort of just began really kind of preparing and even just like, reading through the Broadway script a whole bunch, and, um. Oh, my God. Sorry. It's perfect. He might need to come back in, but I'll give it one more second before he tells me what he needs. Um. Yeah, so I began that process and. Oh, my God. Okay, I'll be back.

[Kevin]

And so you're doing all of this?

[Ariana Grande]

No, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me. I say.

[Kevin]

So you're doing all of this before there's even like a date on the books to audition. You're just prepping so that you're ready?

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, I just wanted my muscles and my tools to know what they're doing and be ready to do anything. Like, I had a feeling they were going to make me sing for both roles. Even though they weren't actually considering me for both roles. I had a feeling they were going to have me sing both. And they did. They had me sing for. They had me sing in my first audition. No one mourns Popular wizard and I undefined gravity.

[Quincy]

Wow.

[Ariana Grande]

So that was a really fun first audition. But I came in and I had like my pink thermos and I had my pink thing and it was very obvious what I was campaigning for. Yeah, I was like, sure, sure, whatever you want.

[Kevin]

Sure you're sure you want to hear this one?

[Ariana Grande]

Whatever you want and more. Whatever you need. I'll bring coffees, whatever you think. But like no, we know I'm here for one thing specifically. Hold on. I'm going to let Myron back in and I'll be right back.

[Kevin]

Okay.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh no, nevermind. He completely doesn't want to come in.

[Quincy]

Ariana, I do have to say sorry. A majority of the glindas we have on this show have the same chaotic energy during the interview.

[Ariana Grande]

Why? That's my pet. Oh my God. There is something, there really is something baked into these roles though. There really is.

[Kevin]

There's something like genetics that comes to play.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, I'm honored to hear.

[Quincy]

Okay, so that first audition, tell us more about exactly what you did. Did you read any scenes?

[Ariana Grande]

No. So the first one was just singing and I was 45 minutes early for everything. For every single time they saw me I was 45 minutes early. And I remember like I was blasting. I was with my assistant and I was with my manager, my day to day manager Ray and my assistant Diane. And we were driving around in Burbank just like circling and like blasting one short day. And you can ask like why like that, but that was the one that we were like repeat on one short day. And John was like outside and he was like, I didn't realize that he was outside but he told me later on that like he heard and saw me circling every time forever. Like he was like, she's crazy. And so early. Why is she so early?

[Quincy]

And why was it one short day?

[Ariana Grande]

Because that was the song that is the song.

[Kevin]

That's the song which I will say.

[Quincy]

In the movie that, like opening Coral as the train is coming into the Emerald City made me teary.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, me too. The first time we didn't. That wasn't attached to it until recent. That wasn't like, that was. We didn't get to hear that done till just now because the last things that they did were the like orchestrations and the choruses and that kind of thing. So that was a surprise for Cynthia and I too. We were like, oh my God, it's a lot.

[Quincy]

Yeah, really beautiful.

[Ariana Grande]

But yeah, we're blasting one short day. If you like this podcast you're listening to right now, then when it's over.

[Kevin]

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[Ariana Grande]

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[Kevin]

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[Quincy]

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[Kevin]

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[Quincy]

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[Kevin]

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[Quincy]

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[Kevin]

So then after that first audition, what was the call that was like, hey, so like we've, we've made the distinction. She's clearly a Glinda. Then are you coming back in and just focusing on a Glinda after all?

[Ariana Grande]

Even going in that day, I have to be super clear. I said, like I said, I will sing whatever they want, but I'm going in for Glinda. Like I told them, I was like, this is who I am. I will sing both for fun if they want that. Like, I don't care what it is. Of course, like, I got it. I was like, girl, let's go. I better figure it out. No, but, no, but it was clear from the start. But then the callback was singing again and scenes from the first and second film. The second audition had, thank goodness. And it had some scenes in it from the Broadway show, nothing from the movie script. And then my third time was chemistry read. I think I was there for three and a half hours. Wow. I read with two different actresses that were amazing and it was just a long, exhausting, but like floaty, out of body buzzy. So much adrenaline experience. And I had cried so much my lashes were Kind of, like, erect. And John was like, okay, like, we really appreciate your time. Like, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so, so, so much. I think you can, like, you know, go to the car and collect to yourself and have a beautiful rest of your day. Like, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. And I was like, okay, bye, everyone. And I left my lashes on the mirror because I was just like. I was like, well, bye. That's all, folks. I've officially left everything else I had to give in this room.

[Kevin]

So blood, sweat, and lashes.

[Ariana Grande]

So don't forget about it. I'm gonna leave my lashes on the pain.

[Quincy]

Don't forget me.

[Ariana Grande]

No, but it was. Yeah, it was. It was really special and beautiful. And I remember even in the, like, the very first audition, I just felt such a really beautiful connection with everyone, especially John.

[Quincy]

And are you gaining more confidence as each audition continues, or are you still living in the state of anxiety?

[Ariana Grande]

I think I felt a lot of anticipatory excitement and positive anxiousness, but I never felt afraid. I felt grateful and excited and inspired and prepared. But John made me feel so comfortable. And the thing that I was really excited by and grateful for, and that surprised me in a big way, was he loved the little risky choices that I was making that were not to the Bible, that were, like, not what I kind of grew up hearing. Choice, listening to. Yeah. And he loved it. And he was like, I love that. That's fun. That's really cool. Let's keep playing. I love when you play. So that was really exciting to me because I was like, oh, this is in the hands of someone who is just here to, like, catch butterflies. He's inspired, and he knows. He knows every single inch of it. He loves every single inch of it. But that is what's so beautiful, is that he is inspiring play and truth and listening and reacting, which is basically the whole point of everything. But he's not here to bring the stage show to the screen. He's here to kind of maximize how we're telling this story and get to know these women in a new way.

[Kevin]

Right. He's not looking for impressions of.

[Ariana Grande]

No, it was really. It felt really beautiful that immediately he was like, keep playing. This is so fun. And I was like, oh, my goodness. I feel safe and positive and just this, like, thoughtful, amazing human being is in charge. And I love knowing that as a fan, even if I don't get this part, I fucking love his attitude towards this. It's right and it's. And it shows how much he loves and cares about it. So that was. I felt a really immediate connection with him. And yeah, I remember Tiffany Little from Telsey casting was my Elphaba during Popular and she had her mask. She had a mask on because it was like there was a random COVID wave in LA and they had to postpone the Fiero auditions because all of the Fieros had Covid. And so she was wearing a mask. And I'm. It was just the sweetest thing because I could. Her eyes were smiling and I loved knowing that she was giggling and it was really sweet. I'll never forget that.

[Quincy]

Well, so that's interesting. Growing up as a fan of the show, how do you reconcile now having to audition for the part? How much of, okay, I'm gonna emulate what I know to be this character or I'm gonna bring my own unique take to it?

[Ariana Grande]

Well, I think that's the thing is that being a fan of something and then living it and kind of taking it on in this insanely personal, intimate way are two completely different things. And I wanted to make that differentiation immediately. I was like, okay, I'm not going to watch or listen to, you know, anything right now. I want to basically just get to know this girl and read the script a million times with Nancy and ask all these questions and kind of find my Glinda while also finding certain physicalities and familiarities to honor what we all have known and loved for so many years. Because there is a specific Galinda type thing, you know, that is this role was written so beautifully and iconically and brilliantly by Kristen and Winnie. You know, that was a very collaborative thing. A lot of the most iconic lines in the stage show were ad libs by Kristen. So it's. It for me was about finding that balance. Because it has to be truthful, it can't be an impersonation because that's very easy to do.

[Kevin]

Right.

[Ariana Grande]

And, you know, lines that have. I've heard and I've known for 20 years take on a very new meaning when you break them down and look at them differently, you know, especially given.

[Kevin]

Your, like, personal closeness to the source material. Just like, as a person with a friendship with another person, is there guidance that came from Kristen? Was she very. Was she more like she let you do your own thing?

[Quincy]

When did you tell her you were going in for it?

[Kevin]

Yeah.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my God. Okay. So we had talked about it for years and years and years and. But not. But me finally confessing to her that I wanted to go in for Glinda was like a whole different thing. And I finally confessed to her because I sang wizard and I on the anniversary special. So I think she assumed, you know, like, okay, yeah, let's do that. Let's totally do that. But I finally. I confess her. I said, hey, like, I think they're doing this now, and I think that I want to go for Glinda. And she went into the bathroom and, like, closed the door and started crying. And she was just like this. It was the sweetest thing in the world. Oh, my God. It makes me emotional, but it was so cute. And she was just like. She was just like, oh, my God. Like, I was hoping this would happen. Like, I love you and I. And I trust you with it, baby girl. She was like, just do your thing. She was like, just do your thing. She was like, you are so funny and you have great instincts and no one knows that you're gonna backdoor them. She said. And I was like, okay. So she was. Yeah, she had a very positive. A positive reaction, thankfully. And she was very supportive. But I didn't send her things. I didn't. I didn't go over the material with her. I kind of just wanted to keep to myself. I kept to myself so much from my family, from Kristen, from everyone, from my. I, like, I didn't want to talk about it. I just didn't want to talk about it at all. And we. She would check in on me and tell me things she was hearing, and it was very sweet and very supportive. But I think she still hasn't heard or seen Mike Linda yet. So I'm excited we're going to. She's going to see it on. She's going to see it on the 28th. So I'm excited. I think. I hope she feels how much this film is a love letter to her and Adina. While also. We wanted to also do our own Elphaba and Glynda for this as well. And I hope that. I think it'll make. I think it might make her really happy.

[Kevin]

Yeah, I think so.

[Quincy]

What's interesting about Glinda in the movie is she has all of the, like, stage Glindaisms, the classic lines that you would want from Glinda, but then they also wrote a lot of new ones for you that you put your own spin on that I think are gonna be canon.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you. I'm so grateful to hear you say that because I ad libbed a lot of them and I'm surprised that they made them into the movie. I was really. I was really shocked that they made them in. But that's what I'm saying about John. He was just like, play, play, play. And he trusted us so implicitly. So I played and then I was like, oh, my God, they made wait. I don't remember. I don't remember saying that. It's in the film. That's crazy. I can't believe any of my nonsense.

[Quincy]

Is I love Ayer and ad lib.

[Ariana Grande]

I don't remember. Maybe. Probably the ones that I know for sure were I couldn't possibly. This is yous Moment. I'm coming.

[Quincy]

Oh, my God.

[Ariana Grande]

And that was just like.

[Kevin]

He was like, they're selling the movie with that.

[Ariana Grande]

I was so excited. I was like, wait, it made it into a trailer? That's crazy. I don't know. There was a bunch of surprising, lovely moments like that that I couldn't believe even made it in.

[Quincy]

But, yeah, from first audition to that zoom call that we've all seen, how long was that period?

[Ariana Grande]

I can't tell if he just is upset with an animal or if he wants to come in. From the first audition to getting the call was three months.

[Kevin]

It's pretty condensed, all things considered, but.

[Ariana Grande]

It felt like 14 years. Yeah, 14 years.

[Quincy]

When you got the call, you said, I'm going to take such good care of her. What does that mean to you?

[Ariana Grande]

I think what that meant to me was that this was gonna have a hold of me, you know, there wasn't gonna be any other thing in my brain or in my work load. Like I wasn't gonna be writing music. I wasn't gonna be on as many of my calls that I'm usually on for my beauty and my fragrance and my other things that I think require more of me than people would assume. But all of that was kind of like I was like, hi to my team. I love you very much. What I'm going to do is I'm going to be gone. Love you so much. And I really tried to give my full self to her and just honor her and do the work as best as I could.

[Kevin]

Right. As somebody who does have lots going on constantly and lots of different plates spinning at once, was it. What was it like? Kind of letting other people keep the other plates spinning.

[Ariana Grande]

Horrible.

[Kevin]

While you focused on one thing.

[Ariana Grande]

No, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. No, I have an incredible team that really, really took care of the other departments during that time. But I'm a very hands on person with everything that I do. I'm very hands on. So that was Very hard for me, but it was a lot easier because I was playing Glyda. You know, that's like the idea of that. The idea of that is not an option to me. Like, there's no other thing. There's no other time that I would really ever do that, but step that.

[Kevin]

Far back from things.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, I had like a separate phone for the first few months. Like, I had a pink phone. Like, you know, it was like I was gone. I was gone. I just wanted to fully be there and be as present as humanly possible and know everything I needed to know. Read every book, read everything, do all the things and give myself over entirely. I didn't write music. I did one feature at the very beginning and then that was kind of it.

[Quincy]

I mean, I think in watching from an outside perspective, you have done such a beautiful job at balancing Ariana Grande TM duties and Ariana Grande Glinda duties. And I think that's like, only goes to show how much you care about this project in particular. It rings true and is very clear that you are devoting a large amount of your time and energy to making sure that this project is done correctly.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you. That means a lot, especially coming from you too. But, yeah, it's when something once in a lifetime like this happens, like, every single second counts, you know? Yeah. And it's like, yeah, it deserves all of us and the best of us.

[Quincy]

What were you most scared about? You get the offer. You're so happy and excited.

[Ariana Grande]

Now I have to do it. Oh, my God. Wait. I hope it goes well, then.

[Quincy]

What is the anxiety after you're over the excitement? What is keeping you up at night?

[Ariana Grande]

Like, oh, my God, I think, you know, I. I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver or why I would be wrong or whatever. You know, I think, of course, like any human being hearing something about something they care so much about, like that, you know, this. It's been a great secret, you know, they didn't get to see any auditions or know anything. So, you know, going off of side to side, I probably would have said the same thing. I probably would have said, why the fuck Kill me? I've waited 20 years for this. Kill me. I've waited. Yeah. You know, like, I would have said that as a fan from the outside. Oh. Knowing of only. Of only seven rings, probably I'd say, well, that's bullshit. So, you know, I. I get it. But I think that initially in the beginning, I was like, okay, I'm gonna try to turn that off and just do the work. Keep my blinders on and. And. And focus and train and do my. Do the best I can. Um, but I think that was an initial, like a little bit of a gulp moment. Um, yeah. But I tried not to let it derail me.

[Kevin]

I was gonna say, like, do you feel a satisfaction in, like, surprising people this way?

[Ariana Grande]

I think I just feel like a tremendous gratitude, you know, I think, like, to see the Wicked fans, like, embrace at all, you know, it's just like, really. It's really special. It's really. Yeah, that's the feeling. I can just. Gratitude, really.

[Kevin]

Was there something that you, like, couldn't wait for? Like, something that you were like, I can't wait to do this with my Glinda.

[Ariana Grande]

I mean, I love improv and I love playing, so there were a lot of. There was so much space to try and play and hopefully make Cynthia break and laugh or Michelle or. You know, I love that. I love making people laugh. And I was just so excited because it's my favorite thing, genuinely. I think making people laugh is my. If I had to put everything on a. Whatever, it would be my favorite. So I think that was the thing I was most excited for, because Glinda, there's so much room for play, and you can deliver the same line, you know, really heartfully. Some of these lines are designed to do both. And that's what I think the beauty of Glinda is, is because some of the things she's saying are really hilarious to someone else, but she means them in, like, the most beautiful way. And that's my. That's my favorite thing about her. It's like, you don't have to play the joke because what she's actually feeling is funny to begin with. And the fact that her heart, you know, you know, it's just kind of. That is the joke. So there's so many different ways. So I think playing and John, just Encouraging. Encouraging. It was something I was really excited for. Yeah.

[Quincy]

And we were saying after seeing the movie, your Glinda is so matter of fact, like, all the funny almost goes over your head, which then makes it more funny for the audience.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Quincy]

So tell us about the first time you and Cynthia were in a room together after having gotten the roles.

[Ariana Grande]

Well, we FaceTimed for the first time, like, 15 minutes before the announcement went out. I'm not kidding. We had no idea. No, not 15 minutes. It was like four hours okay. And we had sent each other flowers and we had like. But we hadn't been able to connect yet because we were both busy doing stuff and we were like, oh my God, this is happening now. It's happening now. So we met. We met over FaceTime. And I immediately loved her, obviously, of course. Um, and then that was the first.

[Kevin]

Time you did not chemistry read with her.

[Ariana Grande]

No, we both, we both read with. Oh my God, Holy shit. Where. And then we met for the first time in person at John's house. He had a welcome dinner.

[Quincy]

And was it nerve wracking that you had in chemistry read with her? And we're now going into this.

[Ariana Grande]

No, I. I don't know why. I think I just. I know of her greatness, of course, and I know that she's the best, you know, most formidable actress and singer that there is. So that part was easy, you know, and I felt a kindness from her the first time we connected and I knew we'd be okay. And also we had a really real conversation at the very beginning just kind of about what we're not going to do and how we're not going to be and what we're not going to allow.

[Quincy]

You guys are signed up for this two plus year journey now.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, it's already been, it's already been three, hasn't it? Right.

[Quincy]

And now you have two more years.

[Ariana Grande]

Right, Exactly.

[Kevin]

Right, Right.

[Ariana Grande]

And I think like, even aside from like the time commitment, it just, it's just deserving of the best of us. And that requires real honesty and real trust. This whole movie is not gonna work. You can spend as much money as you want on flying monkeys in the air and talking brilliant goats, which. We'll get to that. We'll get to that later. We need a full hour, second episode. But it really has to. It really falls on Elphaba and Glinda to take care of each other. And I think that that is. I think that's really palpable when you see it. And I hope so. You know, I think it. Us taking care of each other and forming a real true friendship and being honest with each other about everything, always at all times, you know, being there for each other when we're in a silly mood, when someone needs like, you know, like all of it. Leaving space for everything and getting to know each other in that way where, like, I can just look at her and I know and I know what she's thinking and she can just look at me and she knows exactly what you know and helping each other too. It's like we immediately formed that because without that, nothing else works. Nothing else matters and works. I've never done this, but it's really nice and satisfying. I'm like doing this.

[Kevin]

I've been loving it.

[Ariana Grande]

It's because I'm talking about Cynthia and them doing nails. Because I'm talking about sin. No, but that was an immediate commitment. You know, we had that conversation, we were like, hey, let's do this for real.

[Kevin]

Well, and it's like such a. I mean, relatively like such a simple decision to make. Like, hey, you and me are signed up for this like five year long thing together. Like, we need to choose now to make this a good experience.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah. But it's also really hard work though.

[Kevin]

Because to commit, to hold yourself to that. Right?

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah. Because we need to be there for each other. And there's not a battle that she has to fight alone or that I have to fight alone. You know, there are, there are many, you know, little challenges along the way and being there for each other and having each other through it all, the highs and lows and myths and ups and downs and everything in between was truly, was truly a magnificent gift. There's nothing we can't talk about and didn't.

[Kevin]

Right. It's nice too because, you know, we hear a lot of the women who do the show on Broadway talk about like the green girl sisterhood, that it's like whenever a new Elphaba gets cast, it's always like messages or whatever from all the previous. But like you two are the only two in the world who know what it's like to play these characters on film for 12 hour days, for months on end.

[Quincy]

And you were doing it in such a vacuum.

[Kevin]

Right. So you. It's like the, the importance of that support system is. It makes me very happy that you guys had that in each other.

[Ariana Grande]

Me too. It's. It's really beautiful. It really is.

[Kevin]

And it reads. It's so palpable.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you.

[Quincy]

So what was something, as you're shooting the movie, what was something that you learned about Glinda that was surprising to you?

[Ariana Grande]

I mean, I think I learned this in the preparation leading up to. Leading up to. I'll try to think about something new that I learned during filming because things really took on a whole new life once you actually get there and are filming. But I think the thing that I learned in digging into her in this way, preparing whatever was like, why I love her and feel so connected to her, because obviously it's like the comedy and the high notes And I love all of those things, but I think also there's a very specific thing about kind of her relationship to the Aussiens and kind of that love that they give her and that validation that they give her and her kind of hoping for the good in them and kind of like trying to spoon feed them. And no one mourns the wicked. She's trying to spoon feed them this opportunity. She's like, hey, wait, hold on. Just. Can't we just for one second, can't you just consider that this happened to her? And you know, there's this. There's this tightrope that she walks and there's grief and loss and tragedy that she has to stomach while also performing for these people that she feels need her while she's also needing so much. And that is like a specific thing. It's a specific thing.

[Kevin]

You know, that. Yeah.

[Quincy]

I think Kevin had said when the casting came out, it is really inspired casting because in a lot of ways you are our culture's modern day Glinda. And so it's like really cool to see the meta narratives.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my God, you are a believer. That's so nice.

[Quincy]

Oh, yeah.

[Ariana Grande]

I'm kidding.

[Kevin]

Curly Pop. Never a doubt in my mind.

[Ariana Grande]

I'm kidding, I'm kidding. No, but I think what became like so clear to me when I was actually digging into the material was, was that. And, you know, just kind of I was like, oh, wow. I feel like this song, like, I feel like thank Goodness was like written for me. Like, I feel like that's like a moment that I have lived in real life. And I think that I was kind of surprised by the things that I thought made me feel so connected to her being like third and fourth on the list, you know? Right.

[Quincy]

That's.

[Kevin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ariana Grande]

It was a healing thing to get to know her and spend time with her.

[Quincy]

Can we talk about popular, please?

[Ariana Grande]

Yes. Oh, my God.

[Quincy]

It is one insane on screen. How much of that was blocked and choreographed and how much of that is you on set in the room playing and figuring it out as you go?

[Ariana Grande]

So a lot of all of it was blocked and choreographed.

[Quincy]

Okay.

[Ariana Grande]

Some pieces were blocked and choreographed on day one. Like, my very first day was popular in rehearsals with Chris and Leah and Will and Comfort. But it was funny because I was so grateful because Chris was so collaborative and like, a lot of the bits didn't have as many, like, jokes. Like, it was highly choreographed and it was. But we got to make it galindified and it was very, like, collaborative and fun. And silly. Um, Like, I'll never forget when we found the bit where I'm gonna, like, spin the ball and it falls off my finger. And I am. I'm sure that it's still there. And, like, you know, in the beginning, they were like, we have to teach you how to do that so it stays in your finger. I was like, no, you don't. I was like, you can't.

[Kevin]

Do not teach me.

[Ariana Grande]

No, no, no, no, no. That's the joke. We have to do the joke. That's the joke.

[Kevin]

Right, right.

[Ariana Grande]

And then. And then, like, throw the wand and don't let me catch it. You know, like, that's the bit. You know, we had so much time to. To work on that choreography, and. And I have so many long videos on my phone of us just doing it in the rehearsal space fully through, full out, me and Cynthia running around. You know, when you shoot it, it's like chunk per chunk, like little section by section. But we were rehearsing it in full most of the time. And the only section that was separate was the hallway, because that was a random decision last minute. A day before we filmed, a day before we started filming, because we weren't sure if we were going to use the classic ending of Popular or if we were going to use the version with the modulations and with the key.

[Quincy]

Change, which Kevin died when that happened in the theater.

[Kevin]

It squealed.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my God.

[Kevin]

Oh, my God, it's so good.

[Ariana Grande]

It's so good. That makes me so happy. But we weren't decided. Like, we didn't know if it was right or if it was too much. Like, we didn't know until, like, two days before. Alice and John were, like, looking at the shiz hallway, and they were like, this hallway is so beautiful. Like, what do we do? Like, how can we utilize this set? It's insane.

[Quincy]

Ariana, go spin.

[Ariana Grande]

And Chris Scott was like, wait a minute, I have an idea. And he. They put on the extended outro, and he just kind of did this like. Like, down the hallway and whatever, blah, blah, blah. And I. As a joke. I. As a joke, one day in rehearsal, did like, a kick, and he was like, what is the. What is that? And I was like, I don't know. And he was like, you're doing that. I'm finding a place for that. So that's how that kind of came along. It was two days before, and I had just recovered from COVID and I still had a mask on, and he was teaching me the choreography in the hallway. And then we decided we went for it. I mean, he choreographed it in minutes and we all were like, we have to do it. We're doing it. So that was not even planned even.

[Quincy]

There's a melody shift in Popular that I can't recreate right now, but do you know what I'm talking about? There's a slight melody shift in the verse or chorus of the song that you do.

[Ariana Grande]

I don't know. I'm so. I don't remember.

[Quincy]

You're like, in your version. Can you remember?

[Ariana Grande]

Is it like an ad. Is it like an AD Libby thing or is it like an alt.

[Quincy]

It's like an alt note that happens twice. So it must be like on a verse or chorus or something that's slightly different.

[Ariana Grande]

Lil R. Yes.

[Quincy]

That.

[Ariana Grande]

That's her.

[Quincy]

Yes. I imagine there's a million versions of every song on record somewhere. How were you going into it, deciding I want to do this exactly as is or I want to add my own flair to it? Because I also think something that you and Cynthia both do is, yes, there are vocal moments where you add your own flair, but for the most part, you're giving true to form musical theater performances of these songs. Bible, which I think is really good for the longevity of this soundtrack in your versions and will help it live on.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you. I think it was. I mean, I'm such a purist in that way. You know, I believe in. I love the. This original, you know, wicked music so much. I wanted to kind of be as. As Bible as possible, but also offer kind of little nuances and choices where it felt authentic or where it felt like not too much or, you know, justified or whatever. Yeah, a little bit. So finding that little balance was really fun. You know, a lot of times we would do things differently just on set, but the. Instead of doing who you are, well, are. And then the. The second time I do. I don't remember, but I did that in my audition, I think. I think that was something I always. I think that's something that came with me the whole way, but. Wow. One of my favorite Elphaba ones is Lyman. The whole scale, I love it. Just sitting on a bench. Just the bench and the scale. Just a bench and a full scale. I love it so much.

[Kevin]

When the casting dropped, we were like, Cynthia's gonna be an. I'm not that girl. Elphaba. Like, it's not even one of the big three. We're like. We can just tell, like, she's gonna unlock something with that in her storytelling way. And boy, did she.

[Ariana Grande]

My favorite Thing about that performance is when she's on the bench and she goes, I'm not. Like, in a way that's like, yeah, I'm not. And great.

[Quincy]

Well, and that was something beautiful about her character. Go ahead.

[Ariana Grande]

No, I'm just saying, isn't that such a beautiful choice?

[Quincy]

Oh, yes, it is. And, like, her whole take on Elphaba is, I'm not angry at the world for not liking me. This is all I've ever known. And so why would I expect anything different? Which I think is a big tonal shift from stage to screen.

[Ariana Grande]

I love it so much.

[Quincy]

Okay. You had told us a while ago that you felt like the fangirl gatekeeper on set in making sure that specific moments kind of kept their integrity. Do you have an example of one of those moments in the film?

[Ariana Grande]

Well, the wizard will see you now was who rang that bell.

[Quincy]

That was gonna go?

[Ariana Grande]

That's the first one I can think of. The first one I can think of was the wizard will see you now.

[Kevin]

Was missing revolts, There had been riots in the street.

[Ariana Grande]

No, I was. I was sick to my stomach. I'm telling you, this was. This was the craziest moment of my life. This is the honest to God, true story. True story. Ready? This is a full. This is my full, honest to God, truth accurate representation of the story. John can completely come to my side and tell you he sends me. Okay, So I got the role. It's so exciting. Oh, my God. I can't believe it. We're going to London. Yeah. They send the script. Finally. We finally have the script and a cast and everyone's on board, and we're doing a. They send the script. They send the script. It's my first time reading the Wicked movie script.

[Quincy]

Wow. Are you crying?

[Ariana Grande]

Yes. The whole time? Of course. But I finish and I text John and I literally. I literally said, please call me. And he was like. He was like, what? Are you okay? And I said, I don't think I am. We need to talk. And he said, oh, no. Oh, my God. Okay, I'm stepping out. He has, like, 17 children. He was like, hold on, I'll be right back. Hold on. And he steps out and he calls me, and he was like, what's wrong? And I was like, what is this? Who rang that bell? We can't do that. He was like, what are you talking about? I was like, it has to be the way. We'll see you now. Are you crazy? And then I called Cynthia and I was like, cynthia, Cynthia, did you finish the script? And she was like, yeah, I'm almost. I'm almost done, babe. And I was like, did you see it? And she was like, see what? I was like, did you see? The fucking wizard will see you now is missing. She was like, what are you talking about? And she was like, I just skipped ahead. And I was like, look, it's not there. It's. Who rang that bell? I get it. That's totally cool. I get it. I get that as well. That holds value. And I get it. There's value there for sure. No, no, it's not what I say. So that means we called John together to address this massive. It was our first conversation after the script.

[Quincy]

Like, I was like, God, these ladies.

[Ariana Grande]

The first thing on our task list. We literally bombarded him. I add her into the chat. We both. The second. We, like, we have to handle this. It can't be that. It needs to be the way supposed to you now. I'm not kidding. It has to be that. And we were like, Jess, we had to handle it. It was urgent. It was. I was. I was floored. I was floored. Oh, my God. That was the service. That's. Thank you so much. Totally. But no, it was. That was one. That was one little thing. There were other little things, you know, I wasn't going to arrive on the. On the. On the. There was no moment where I'm sitting on the luggage. And I tried to squeeze that in because even though.

[Kevin]

But that transition with the hands in the water.

[Quincy]

Oh, beautiful.

[Ariana Grande]

You should have seen it before vfx. I had. I was bald.

[Quincy]

Really?

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, because it was. No, no, it looks beautiful now. But no, but I saw it the first time I saw the mirror. I was like, oh, my God. They were still, like, working on it, but the reflection in the water was like just the shape. It was just like the shape of me and my hand in the water. So I was like, holy shit. I was like, wow. Oh, my God.

[Kevin]

Gold hair with a gentle curl. Eventually.

[Ariana Grande]

Where is it? But no, no, it's. I love that transition too. But no.

[Kevin]

Oh, it's so good.

[Ariana Grande]

The suitcase moment was I. That felt. That felt like it had to be there in some way, even if not in the same place as it usually happens. I just wanted to make sure it was there for the Die Hards and a few other things Weren't there Magic wands need I need to have a point Wasn't there and something's very wrong I didn't get my way I need to lie down Wasn't there and then we can says we need a pastry. It was my favorite part of the movie. Is my favorite part. Can we talk about Bo and Yang? Yes.

[Kevin]

They're both so good.

[Ariana Grande]

We need three more hours.

[Quincy]

Well, we gotta do another one after the movie comes out. And we can like.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay.

[Cynthia Erivo]

Maybe talk about.

[Quincy]

Yeah.

[Ariana Grande]

I'm putting on lipstick. Cause I'm smiling so much. I'm like, dry. Hold on.

[Quincy]

What has been the high and low of the journey up until this point?

[Kevin]

Rose and the Thorn.

[Ariana Grande]

I think I. I know this is so corny, but I. The low. I don't know. I can't. I think maybe how quickly everything happened and is happening.

[Quincy]

It feels quick on your end. It does because you've been in it.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah. And Cynthia and I were in the Wizard's Chamber and she was like. Like, she's like, we're going to blink and it's going to be May babes. And I was like, no. And now it's October 20th, two years, you know what I mean? Later, at a year and a half later. And she was right. It's just. It was very quick, but I mean, the highs. I think I learned so much from this project and I'm just so, so grateful. It was just a really. I can't describe how special every single day was. And what I have learned from Glinda and what I've learned from Cynthia and John and every single person involved in this. And I don't know, it's really immeasurable, the gratitude that I feel. I can't really describe it. That didn't answer either. Actually, it was good. I didn't answer one of them answer anything.

[Quincy]

What was the most challenging scene for you to shoot?

[Ariana Grande]

Ooh.

[Quincy]

In act one, I guess.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay. Yeah, I was gonna go into Act 2, but I think. I think. I think the Oz dust, I think defying gravity, saying goodbye. And the Oz dust, you know, it's a turning point for Glinda and holding space for Elphaba and for Cynthia that day. You know, I. It's so funny because I get like little heart flutters when I watch it because I like, remember how anxious that scene felt. You know, it's so funny. It's really strange I asked Cynthia about this because when we watched it for the first time, I, like, felt certain things that I felt on the day when I watched them, which was so weird. Like, my heart rate, like, my heart started like fluttering when I like, realized she was going to enter the Oz dust. It's so strange. And just kind of like watching her and that Gut wrenching moment. Yeah. I think that was a really big day. And defying gravity and saying goodbye and tying her cape and saying goodbye to my friend. And, you know, that decision, that moment was shallow.

[Quincy]

And defying gravity.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

Chilling.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah. I cried when I read that they added that or that that was there when I. I was like, oh, that's so valuable. That's so. I'm so grateful that that's there. I just think it allows for us to kind of see that, like, this pivotal decision is happening and not decision, but just kind of acceptance. And. Is it. Is it relief? Is it fear? Is it everything? It's just like, a lot. I don't know. It's. I like that we get to see where everyone leaves off and that we get to hear Cynthia sing Unlimited a few more times. I love that addition.

[Quincy]

It sets up to me, the second movie so well, where we're all like, okay, shit's about to go down now and get a little serious.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, yeah.

[Kevin]

I love the little insert of Nessa Rose and their father.

[Ariana Grande]

How brilliant is she?

[Kevin]

She is so good.

[Ariana Grande]

She's perfect.

[Kevin]

Unreal.

[Ariana Grande]

She's so incredible. I know we're not allowed to talk about it, but I can't wait for you to see. Wait.

[Quincy]

Well, that's the thing where I'm like, all the side characters are really going to get a chance to shine in the second movie. And I just. It's annoying to say, but I want the second movie now. And we have no.

[Ariana Grande]

I know. Me, too.

[Quincy]

The first.

[Ariana Grande]

Me, too. I got to be there and watch some of it, and it's like I was dying. It's so cool. It's so good. Everyone is so good. It's really creepy. Sorry.

[Kevin]

It's okay. We're all in the same place mentally.

[Quincy]

The screening we went to, as soon as the first movie ended, everyone was.

[Ariana Grande]

Like, play the second one. That's good. That's great news. Oh, my God.

[Quincy]

And what I think is good about the film adaptation is on Broadway. It's very easy to get caught up into these divas singing down and get caught up in the performance of it all. And you forget that Wicked is kind of centered around the Dilliman storyline and animal rights.

[Ariana Grande]

It is a story about animals, really. We're here.

[Quincy]

All of that rings true in the movie in a very real way. Even something bad hits in the movie. It hits, which I don't know if I'd say on stage.

[Ariana Grande]

I mean, honestly. Thank God. I'm so happy to hear you say that. It's really it's taken on a life of its own in the film.

[Cynthia Erivo]

It's.

[Kevin]

Yeah. I think we talked about, too, is just like the artistry involved in the animals does so much to further the heaviness of that plot. Like, it hits so much harder because you're looking at a goat, not an actor with a goat mask on. And it's like the difference that that makes is paramount.

[Ariana Grande]

It's. I mean, he's so beautiful. Dr. Dilliman is the most emotional, moving, insane thing I've ever seen. I really am. I am thankful that he didn't look like that in the classroom when I'm being an absolute. You know what to him. Because I wouldn't have gotten through the scene. There's no way. I mean, he's so adorable. He's adorable. And I'm being an absolute, you know. Yeah. But also the actors who were doing the physical acting for Chistry and Dilaman. Oh, my God, Paint that picture for us.

[Quincy]

What it was like to be on set shooting that.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my goodness. Well, Robin, who plays Chistry, I mean, they really modeled all of Chistri's movements after what he was actually physically doing in, like, a gray suit. He was just so beautiful and, like, such an incredible performer. Like the transformation scene where he's getting his wings, I was so, like, scared and moved.

[Quincy]

There's a real person freaking out.

[Ariana Grande]

Yes. Oh, wow. And what you see Chestry doing, Robin was doing in a bodysuit and the sounds as well, like, all of it. And he was just so beautiful, so moving. It was, like, so intense. Cynthia and I both were, like, choked up. Like, it was very intense. There's so many, like, like, brilliant performers involved in this that I fear, like, without these behind the scenes pieces that I'm so happy Universal has been putting out and everything. People wouldn't be able to know about what other, like, this brilliance that is happening that's making this movie what it is. Like, every single. Like Louisa, who was our Dilamond, she was reading all the monologues, all the lines, all the everything. And physically doing the work as well. And on her, like, little, like, the specific arm movement things that she had to wear, these little arm things so that she could be on all fours like a goat and a thing on her head with fucking tennis balls over here. And I'm like, I'm. I'm gonna be a bitch to tennis balls today. That's doable. Like, we see it in the movie. I'm like, damn, that's really intense. No. Yeah. No, but no, there's so much brilliance behind the scenes that I think, like, I'm so glad Universal's capturing and showing the world because it's really special. And I got to do some really special work with Robin in movie too, as well. So I love him. He's just such a beautiful chistry. I hope they show more footage of him being chistry because it's just amazing. So amazing.

[Quincy]

What I will say is I feel like there's a common fear or apprehension that I hear people have about this movie being nervous. It's too CGI and it's going to be very animation vibes. But I would say in watching the movie, I was shocked at how real everything felt and all. How practical all of the sets were in actuality.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, that makes me so happy. Yeah. I mean, the only thing that is CG is, you know, the animals, really. Everything else was there. Everything else we. It was. It was the most insane thing, these sets. Nathan Crowley is the most incredible set designer, but just walking into, like, a theme park, it felt like every day it was the craziest, most submersive thing in the world. And, you know, the yellow brick road and my bubble platform, and it was just. The munchkin huts were actually functioning. Munchkin huts.

[Quincy]

Oh, really?

[Ariana Grande]

You'd go in there and there would be someone taking a nap and I'd be like, oh, shit, sorry. I was, like, looking for. I don't know, whatever, finding a coffee somewhere. But, you know, I don't know, it was just. It was really crazy. It was. Yeah. All of it was practical and I think you felt that.

[Quincy]

Oh, can we talk about something? I think that rings true in this movie between you and Cynthia. Before you two are friends, before Elphaba and Glynda are friends, is there such a joy in taunting each other? And there's like a clear love even when you guys are being mean to each other.

[Ariana Grande]

When we admire each other, it's like.

[Kevin]

Flirting more than it's like, yeah, yeah.

[Quincy]

How much of that was directed and established? Or is that something you just landed on in acting it out with them?

[Ariana Grande]

With Cynthia, I think that's just how we did it. I think we couldn't resist that urge because they don't. I mean, like, sure, they hate each other, but also they admire each other a lot. I want.

[Quincy]

Fascinated by each other.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah, she's fascinated. Yeah, we're fascinated by each other. I respect her talent. I see that. You know what I mean? There's like. It's interesting also, I think the reason why we dislike each other is because we. There's so much that we resonate with each other. We're like, oh, we have a lot in common. And I hate that. I hate that.

[Kevin]

Right. I don't want to have a lot in common with this person because I.

[Ariana Grande]

Think they're the opposite of me. But something feels like home, and I can't figure it out yet. You know, it's like, how could this person that is so supposed to be my opposite, why am I, like, falling in love with him? I can't figure out, like, what's happening at all. But, yeah, that's just kind of how it felt. And we just followed it.

[Quincy]

All right, Kevin, I think it's time.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay.

[Kevin]

Okay. It's time for our last question. This is how we end every interview.

[Ariana Grande]

I know him.

[Kevin]

Are you a no one mourns the Wicked Glinda. A popular Galinda or a thank goodness Glinda?

[Ariana Grande]

I think I'm a thank goodness Glinda for sure. I think I'm, like, on the cusp of. No one mourns the Wicked. I think that's probably my favorite to sing. But I think I thank goodness Glinda for sure.

[Quincy]

Why?

[Ariana Grande]

I think just because I've been there and I've asked those same questions and I felt that feeling so many times. I think, yeah, it's just like I said, I think it's a specific thing and I've felt it and I know it. And sometimes we learn the hard way that the things that make us feel most ourselves and most full are the things that maybe we have had all along or the weight that we thought this thing would hold isn't what you thought. You know, this thing that people make seem so, like, the end all, be all, goal, although we're grateful for it and we're going to pep ourselves up to do this job, and it's a privilege and we're going to do it and we're going to be good and make people feel good. It feels so. It can feel sometimes, like, so corrupt and empty. And I think that is something that I've. I've, like, filmed several times. And that is why I'm a thank goodness Glinda, because also there's also such a through line of. Even though it's bittersweet, there is a through line of gratitude in it. And I think that that's something that has kept me afloat for my whole life, even in the hardest moments.

[Quincy]

And now we have to just wait until 2025 to see Ariana Grande's thank goodness.

[Ariana Grande]

It'll fly.

[Quincy]

Okay, we have some rapid fire questions that we're going to ask all your movie castmates.

[Ariana Grande]

I hope they're not about the moon.

[Quincy]

No, no.

[Ariana Grande]

I pray they're not about the moon landing. Oh, my God. Help me. Help.

[Quincy]

Yeah, so this can be. You have to answer with one of your Shiz. Class of 20, 24 castmates. You can only use each name once. Okay.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay.

[Kevin]

So who was most likely to be first to set?

[Ariana Grande]

Me. Me. Me Or Ethan Early Most likely to.

[Quincy]

Be the last one to leave set.

[Ariana Grande]

Me or John.

[Kevin]

Or John.

[Ariana Grande]

Yeah.

[Quincy]

Okay.

[Kevin]

Okay.

[Ariana Grande]

I love this game.

[Kevin]

Most likely to take a keepsake from set.

[Ariana Grande]

These are like. Is this a joke? Is this a bit. Did you do this?

[Kevin]

Are these all going to be.

[Ariana Grande]

You can't do this. No. Okay. Me or Cynthia? Because we both stole quite a bit.

[Quincy]

Most likely to option up during a song.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh. Both of us. Cynthia and me. Her wizard and I. We didn't even get to talk about it yet. It's the best.

[Quincy]

I want to know how many options are on record in of her doing that, though.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my God. I have them all. They're so good. They're so good. No, they're so good. You have no clue. Sorry. That's why it's kind of like. I wish we get. It's not fair. I want to do you know what I mean? I want to do eight shows a week so we can hear the. I want to hear every single Cynthia. Everybody.

[Quincy]

I feel like every city should just get a different version of the songs in one movie.

[Ariana Grande]

Yes, I know.

[Kevin]

Yes.

[Ariana Grande]

Okay. Sorry. What was the question?

[Quincy]

Okay, go, Kevin.

[Ariana Grande]

It was an hour ago.

[Kevin]

Most likely to stay in character after the camera stops rolling.

[Ariana Grande]

Um. You can't do this to me. This isn't fair. Because you wrote them so that I'd say me for everything.

[Quincy]

It's not true.

[Ariana Grande]

No, I mean, I know.

[Quincy]

There's actually one on here that's designed for you, and we haven't even gotten there yet.

[Kevin]

We haven't even gotten to it.

[Ariana Grande]

I would say Mian. Cynthia. I think everyone was a little lost in the sauce. I'd say everyone. And Jeff.

[Kevin]

Everyone.

[Ariana Grande]

Jeff Goldblum. Jeff.

[Quincy]

Most likely to break character.

[Ariana Grande]

No one. Well, everyone, even when they giggled or broke, was still in character. That's the thing. Like, everyone was lost in the sauce.

[Quincy]

A very dedicated group of actors.

[Kevin]

Was there anybody who was easier to get to giggle?

[Ariana Grande]

Michelle. Michelle. Yeah. Yeah.

[Quincy]

All right.

[Kevin]

Most likely to get the shot in one take.

[Ariana Grande]

I want to say everyone. Cynthia. Everyone. Cynthia. Cynthia. Definitely Cynthia. Everyone though. Everyone though. It's hard. Everyone is so good.

[Quincy]

Most likely to cry on set.

[Ariana Grande]

Everyone, Me, everyone. We all cried every day. That's the thing. We all cried. John cried. Cynthia cried. I cried. Johnny cried. Everyone cried.

[Quincy]

It sounds like a very beautiful environment to work.

[Ariana Grande]

It was beautiful. It was really beautiful. That was terrible. That's it.

[Quincy]

That's it.

[Kevin]

That was it. That was the.

[Ariana Grande]

Oh, my God. Well, thank you, Ariana.

[Quincy]

Thank you for coming on. This is amazing.

[Ariana Grande]

I've been looking forward to this for such a long time. I hope it was all right and I hope that you guys are happy with it and I hope we're going to hang up and then remember a bunch of things that we didn't talk about.

[Quincy]

Well, we'll do this again. We got another year of movie time.

[Kevin]

We got another movie to talk about.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank God.

[Quincy]

Sweet. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Ariana Grande.

[Ariana Grande]

Thank you for having me. I had so much fun. I'll have more answers. I'll be more concise next time. This is good.

[Cynthia Erivo]

You've been listening to Sentimental Men.

[Kevin]

We'd like to say a big thank you to everyone at the Broadway Podcast Network.

[Cynthia Erivo]

You can find Sentimental men on Instagram, TikTok and X @sentmenpod, or you can.

[Kevin]

Email [e-mail] till next time.

[Cynthia Erivo]

I'm Quincy.

[Kevin]

And I'm Kevin. I don't know about you, but I personally feel like the world could use a lot more kindness right now. Hi, it's Robert Peter Paul, your friendly neighborhood bpn, host of the Art of Kindness, a podcast that spotlights people in the arts who make the world, well, you guessed it, kinder. From icons like Carol Burnett to Tony winner like Stephanie J. Block to Olympians like Lori Hernandez, we've featured so many wonderful guests from all corners of the biz to give you intimate conversations and kindness tips. I'm thrilled to say we're returning for a fourth season.

[Ariana Grande]

Woop woop.

[Kevin]

This world Kindness Week with guests like Ian Armitage, Judith Light, Betty Hu, Corbin Blue and more. So please join our kindness community over at VPN fma. And I do hope you're doing as aok as you can. Let's build a kinder world. All audio hug.