As an Ariana Grande Stan, I Feel Validated Today NBC Universal
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Ariana Grande is officially an Oscar-nominated actress, and for months, I’ve been telling anyone who would listen that this would happen.
It’s hard being a stan. You spend your days going back and forth with KatyCats and Barbz on social media, you lose hundreds on vinyl variants, and suffer from constant dry mouth because you can’t help but sing along every time you step into a department store and hear “No Tears Left to Cry” on the loudspeakers.
Most people aren’t cut out for this work, but I am. The only problem is that I never know when it might cloud my judgment. To be honest, I knew I would love Grande’s performance as Glinda long before I stepped into the theater to see the film adaptation of Wicked. She could have done vocal runs in front of a white wall for 160 minutes and I still would have cheered and called her “Mother” on my Letterboxd.
But the minute Grande floated onto the screen in that giant pink bubble, I realized it wasn’t just pop fanaticism. The truth is that Grande is a triumph. She takes a character that’s totally one-note in The Wizard of Oz and gives her supreme depth. Her deliveries are hilarious, her moments of sincerity ring true, and she can’t help but steal every scene she’s in. It’s hard to fill the shoes of a monolith like Kristin Chenoweth, but Grande comfortably holds her own.
Clearly, I wasn’t the only one impressed by the pop star’s acting, because when Wicked came out, the reviews quickly glowed as bright as her bubble. And perhaps the greatest recognition arrived early this morning, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Grande was nominated in the category for Best Supporting Actress.
“I cannot stop crying, to no one’s surprise,” she gushed on social media immediately following the news. “I’m humbled and deeply honored to be in such brilliant company and sharing this with tiny Ari who sat and studied Judy Garland singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ just before the big, beautiful bubble entered. I’m so proud of you, tiny.”
With her role in Wicked, Grande—who has been a theater kid practically since she was in diapers—finally got to show off her true comedic chops. From rolling around on the floor while giving Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) a makeover, to adding a subtle trill to her words during plain conversations, it’s clear that her intuitions as an actor are smart. Though, those who have been paying close attention could’ve told you that Grande was a true comedienne long ago.
Over a month before Wicked hit theaters, the “Yes, And” singer hosted the October 12 episode of Saturday Night Live, where she did everything from playing a competitive mother who takes a game of charades too far, to delivering a spot-on impression of Jennifer Coolidge. The skits were kooky and outrageous, and Grande totally committed to every second—it was one of the funniest episodes I’d seen in years.
But her comedy started long before that. In recent years, there’s been no shortage of playfulness in Grande’s music. She never shies away from a cheeky joke—be it naming a song “34+35” (add those numbers together), or claiming that one night with her will make a lover “believe God is a woman.” And let’s not forget her “Thank U, Next” music video, which paid homage to early aughts rom-coms with silly jokes and star cameos, effectively breaking the internet in the process.
In a cream minidress from the Celine Fall/Winter ’24 womenswear collection, on the evening before the nominations were announced Getty Images
Of course, the biggest hesitations around Grande’s acting talents stemmed from the fact that before Wicked, her main role was that of the foolish and fiery-haired Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon series Victorious, and later, its spinoff, Sam & Cat. Granted, I don’t think its fair to judge an actor for work they did as a teenager on a show geared toward kids, but when I revisited Victorious recently (my nieces have become obsessed), I saw glimpses of the superstar’s comedic prowess even then. Want proof? Just check out this scene, which has circulated recently on social media and perfectly shows off Grande’s physical comedy.
The truth is, the public always likes to judge whenever a pop star tries to make the transition to the big screen (they can’t all be Lady Gagas or Jennifer Hudsons). But with Grande, the doubt also stemmed from her pairing with Erivo, a respected force in theater, who was on the fast track to earning an EGOT before filming even began (and who gives a magnetic performance as Elphaba, which earned her her own Oscar nod). Even once it became clear that Grande had the talent to act alongside Erivo, the Academy has historically neglected comedic performances—especially those from women—with rare exceptions like Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny or Olivia Colman in The Favourite.
But all those doubts aside, today, the world got to see that Grande’s casting in Wicked was Oscar-worthy, and that her wit is not to be underestimated. And as a stan, well, I’m just glad to see one of the brightest stars of our generation getting her flowers—and thankful to know it wasn’t all in my head.
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