The pop star takes on the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the much-anticipated film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked, which is set to hit theaters around the world later this month.
Joining Grande is actor Cynthia Erivo, who recently spoke out against a fan-made Wicked poster, playing Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West.
As reported by E! News, she will be credited as ‘Ariana Grande-Butera’ after reconnecting with her father, Ed Butera.
Grande was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida. Her father and mother, Joan Grande, separated when she was just eight years old.
She reflected: “Falling out of touch with my dad. It’s private, but it happened last year. It took me so long to be okay with it. The thing that got me there was embracing the fact that I am made up of half my dad, and a lot of my traits come from him.”
“So much of me comes from my father, and for so long, I didn’t like that about myself. I had to accept that it’s okay not to get along with somebody and still love them.”
In the lead-up to the release of Wicked, Grande has also been busy addressing critiques and comments from fans and industry insiders about her portrayal of Glinda.
Some noticed that her voice in the film sounds higher-pitched than usual, sparking conversation even though it is part of the role.
“When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed. There are definitely jokes that are made as well, but it’s always after being led with praise: ‘Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.’ And that’s just a part of the job, really.”
The movie Wicked will be released in theaters on November 22.
