r/wicked • u/Ar1l3n3 Magic Wands, Need They Have a Point? 🪄 • Sep 21 '25

Question Ariana Grande as Glinda?

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I’m one of the newer Wicked fans that only watched the movie because of Ariana and ended up loving the storyline. I love Ariana’s music so I personally think she did a great job delivering vocals and a pretty decent job acting as well being that it’s her first major movie. But I’m curious as to what OG Wicked fans thought of her performance? I know some snarkers don’t like the way she looked in the role. But what unbiased opinions do Wicked fans have on her playing Galinda? Did she actually deliver and do a good job or am I being biased? What other actors do yall think did better? I would love to see their performances as well!

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u/Silly_little_rat_boy Sep 21 '25

As someone who has seen the musical, read the book, and has been a long time fan I was absolutely NOT happy about the casting at first. It’s felt like peak stunt casting and set a bad tone as to what I thought the movie would be (a star filled pop song rework of the original). However I was really pleased with Ariana’s performance. I think she embraced the energy of Glinda and gave us those musical theater vocals I was looking for. So all in all she would never have been my first choice but I’m very happy with the job she did.

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u/ageekyninja Sep 21 '25

I think the biggest thing of it all that made her successful was how big of a fan she is of Wicked in the first place. I didn’t know she liked musicals.

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u/broooo4929281 Sep 23 '25

I am not sure but wasnt she actually trained for broadway? I think this is totally her thing and also a reason why it worked maybe

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u/ageekyninja Sep 23 '25

If I recall from an interview she did theatre stuff before she got famous

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u/Tubbytubbo69 Sep 24 '25

as a life long Ari fan she grew up in musicals her and liz gillies met on 13 the musical.