Ariana Grande is still deeply touched by the moment Kristin Chenoweth passed the torch to her for the film adaptation of Wicked. Grande, who stars as Glinda, recently shared her emotional response to Chenoweth’s advice during an episode of the Sentimental Men podcast.
Reflecting on their conversations, Grande said they had talked for years about her desire to audition for Glinda. When she finally told Chenoweth, “Hey, I think they’re doing this now, and I want to go for Glinda,” Chenoweth was so moved that she went into the bathroom, closed the door, and started crying.
“It was the sweetest thing ever. It makes me emotional just thinking about it,” Grande recalled, pausing to collect her feelings. She described how Chenoweth expressed her support, saying, “I was hoping this would happen. I love you, and I trust you with it, baby girl. Just do your thing. You’re so funny and have great instincts. You’re gonna backdoor ’em.”
Wicked originally premiered on Broadway in 2003 and has become a beloved musical, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel. It tells the story of two witches, Elphaba and Glinda, from their time as students at Shiz University to Elphaba’s transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. The show earned ten Tony Award nominations in 2004, including Best Musical.
Since the casting announcement, Chenoweth has been a strong supporter of Grande. In an interview with Kelly Clarkson, Chenoweth noted that Grande was nervous about living up to her legacy, expressing a desire to honor her while also wanting to make her proud. Chenoweth reassured her, saying, “You’ve already made me proud,” and encouraged Grande to make the role her own.
Chenoweth also got emotional while discussing their long relationship, recalling how they both reacted when Grande called to share the news that she got the role: “We sounded like two dolphins talking.”
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the Wicked film also stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and features a talented cast including Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode. The film is set to be released in two parts, with the first half scheduled for November 22.
Fans can catch the full episode of Sentimental Men with Ariana Grande streaming Friday at 10 a.m. ET.