Ariana Grande is garnering Oscar buzz for her performance in the highly-anticipated Wicked.
The re-telling of Glinda and Elphaba’s (played by Cynthia Erivo) story premieres in wide release this weekend but Variety is already predicting Ariana will not only be nominated for an Academy Award, but she will win it.
‘As Glinda, Grande brings charm and wit to a character known for her bubbly exterior and hidden depth. The 31-year-old pop star commands each of Glinda’s signature numbers, including a delightful rendition of Popular,’ the outlet reported.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t her singing that the outlet believes was the best part of her performance. It was her comedic timing and zippy one liners.
‘But her knack for comedic timing makes her performance stand out. Her delivery of various one-liners and zingers is one of the film’s highlights, and it could ultimately position her for a first-time Oscar nomination in the best supporting actress category.’
The praise continued: ‘Grande’s Glinda is both endearing and hilarious, making her a strong contender in an award race that often favors musical talents.
Nominations for the 2025 Oscars will be announced on January 17, 2025.
While that day is still two months away and the heavy hitting films and roles are just coming out, it is definitely not too early for critics to pinpoint real contenders and Grande is one of them.
She is expected to compete in the category with Zoe Saldana for her role in Emilia Pérez, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave, Saoirise Ronan for Blitz and Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown.
And Ariana isn’t the only Academy Award nominee or winner from Wicked that Variety is predicting.
The Hollywood trade paper is also predicting the movie will bring home the coveted gold statuette for Production Design andCostume Design, and also have nominations for Best Actress for Cynthia and Best Director for Jon M. Chu.
While Ariana and Cynthia are earning rave reviews from critics and early screening audiences, they almost weren’t cast in the film.
British filmmaker Stephen Daldry was originally set to direct the spectacle and had big plans to cast Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero, according to Page Six.
‘They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be. [Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,’ the outlet’s source said.
But Daldry’s vision never came to be—he left the project in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts.
Enter Jon M. Chu, who took over as director and reimagined the cast, ultimately bringing Erivo on as Elphaba, Grande as Glinda the Good Witch, and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero.
DailyMail’s Brian Viner also sung the film’s praises, writing, ‘Chu and the writers have enormous fun and are superbly served by the cast: Erivo and Grande are both pitch-perfect and altogether sensational.’
He added: ‘Michelle Yeoh, Bailey and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard offer splendid support.’