Ariana Grande released an emotional open letter to Wicked fans reflecting on her time as Glinda following the film’s record-breaking premiere.
The Grammy-winning pop sensation, 32, shared the lengthy note on social media just as Wicked: For Good topped the box office, debuting to historic numbers and cementing its place as one of the most successful musical adaptations in recent memory.
In the message, Grande spoke candidly about her connection to the enchanted Land of Oz, writing that it has been her ‘safe space for as long as’ she can remember.
The performer went on to detail the emotional lessons that shaped her through the story, including learning ‘how to love unconditionally,’ ‘to forgive,’ and ‘to fiercely protect ourselves and each other… and to fight for what is truly, deeply good.’
She goes on to reflect on the significance of stepping into the role of Glinda, describing it as a transformative experience.
‘Becoming your Glinda the Good and being asked to join this most wonderful group of human beings on a most creatively and emotionally fulfilling journey was the greatest gift of my life. I have learned more from my time with Glinda than anyone,’ she added.
Grande also acknowledged the deep emotional bond between the production and its fans, writing that seeing how Wicked has impacted audiences ‘in the same way that it has for me over the course of my life has been the most meaningful, moving and cherished gift of all.’
Ariana Grande has released an emotional open letter to Wicked fans reflecting on her time as Glinda following the film’s record-breaking premiere
At the end of the message, she reflected on the end of this chapter of her life.
‘Before I go, please remember: whenever things get scary or you feel alone, home is wherever and with whomever we want it to be… Your chosen Ozian family loves you exactly as you are.’
She signed off the message by writing: ‘Love always, Ariana (Your Glinda).’
‘Ariana out here writing the sweetest love letter to her Glinda era full main-character energy and pure Broadway sparkle,’ one fan wrote on X.
Another wrote: ‘You can feel how much this role meant to her……. so genuine.’
‘Ariana talking about Glinda like it changed her whole soul, this is beautiful,’ a third added.
Meanwhile, her costar, Cynthia Erivo marked the end of Wicked: For Good with a heartfelt goodbye earlier this week.
‘I could write you an essay, a poem, Shakespearean prose, to describe what this journey has meant to me, what lessons this time has taught me, bought me,’ she wrote on Instagram. ‘I could try to give a metric to the love I have felt and experienced. I could give a number to the stories I have heard. The truth is the numbers are too small and the words are not enough.’
The star shared the lengthy note on social media just as Wicked: For Good topped the box office, cementing its place as one of the most successful musical adaptations in recent memory
In the message, Grande spoke candidly about her connection to the enchanted Land of Oz, writing that it has been her ‘safe space for as long as’ she can remember
The performer went on to detail the emotional lessons that shaped her through the story, including learning ‘how to love unconditionally’ and ‘to fight for what is truly, deeply good’
‘So I’ll simply say this,’ she continued. ‘Take my hand and walk with me to the end of this road paved with gold and hopefully, the things that I’ve found, might find you too. Thank you for letting me be your Elphaba.’
Wicked: For Good delivered one of the biggest debuts of the year, opening to a record-breaking $150million in North America and $226million worldwide during its first weekend in theaters.
The highly anticipated sequel led the North American box office on Friday with $68.7million from 4,115 theaters, a figure that includes $30.8million in previews.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film is the second installment of his large-scale adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical, chronicling the untold origin story of the witches of Oz.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, it now holds the largest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing last year’s Wicked debut of $112.5million, and ranks as the third-largest opening of all time among musical films, behind The Lion King (2019) and Beauty And The Beast (2017).
