NEWSAriana Grande's Shocking 'Wicked' Transformation: See How the Actress Has Evolved Since First Crown Fitting in 2022
Ariana Grande posted a sweet throwback photo of her crown fitting for the movie 'Wicked.'
Ariana Grande has undergone a remarkable transformation since taking on the role of Glinda in the blockbuster movie Wicked.
On Monday, November 25, the singer-actress shared a throwback photo on Instagram from her first crown fitting in September 2022. The picture showed Grande wearing a pink sleeveless top and a delicate crown “made of laser-cut paper,” which looked gorgeous with her signature brunette hair.
Tagging the crown’s designer, she wrote in the caption, “I love you @paultazewell.”
Ariana Grande stars as Glinda in the 'Wicked' movie.
Fans were quick to gush over the nostalgic post.
“Brown hair? Who’s this!!! Beautiful,” one commented, while another wrote, “I’m so proud of you, our star 🌟.”
“A magical beginning 💗💚,” added a third.
Even Paul Tazewell replied, stating: “The very beginning of the crowning glory for your Galorious Glinda. I love you too @arianagrande.”
Since filming began in December 2022, the “Side to Side” singer has sported blonde hair for her role as Glinda. While many fans adored the transformation, others took to TikTok to share mixed reactions.
“I don’t understand why they did this,” a makeup artist said in a video clip. “She looks sick to me. I don’t wanna offend anyone. Ariana Grande is beautiful, but what they chose to put her in for Wicked wasn’t a good choice for her.”
The user explained that Grande's blonde hair and low contrast makeup changed her overall look.
She also noted that the cool-toned pinks in Glinda’s wardrobe made Grande appear “completely washed out.”
The '7 Rings' singer met her boyfriend, Ethan Slater, while filming 'Wicked.'
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Grande’s transformation extended beyond her appearance.
In a November 6 interview with The New York Times, she shared how she adjusted her voice to fully embody her on-screen character.
“It was really important to erase as much of myself as possible so that they could just be looking at Glinda,” she explained.
Months after filming, the higher octave she adopted for the role hasn't gone away.
Despite criticism of her current vocal tone, Grande defended her efforts in a recent Vanity Fair interview.
In 2013, Ariana Grande and her father lost touch.
“There is a part of the world that isn’t familiar with what it takes to transform your voice,” she said. “Whether it’s singing, taking on a different dialect for a role, or doing a character voice for something.”
The “7 Rings” vocalist, who met her boyfriend Ethan Slater on the Wicked set, remains unfazed by the negativity.
“It’s something that I’m just really proud of,” she said. “I gave 100 percent of myself, including my physicality, to this role. I am proud of that, so I wanted to protect it.”
On top of that, the musical flick inspired Grande to make another personal change.
Since filming, the pop star has developed a close bond with her costar Cynthia Erivo, who portrays Elphaba.
[SPOILER] In the end credits, the “Eternal Sunshine” hitmaker was listed by her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera, after recently reconciling with her father.
“This experience was such a homecoming for me,” Grande said on “The Streaming Service with Justin Hill.” “I feel like I came home to myself in a lot of ways through what I learned from Glinda, from Elphaba. That was my name when I went to see the show at 10 years old — and it felt like a really lovely way of honoring that.”
