Ariana Grande Gets Why ‘Wicked’ Fans Are Nervous About Her Casting: As a Fan I’d Say, ‘Why the F—? Kill Me. I’ve Waited 20 Years for This’

variety.com:

Emiliana Betancourt Ariana Grande understands why some “Wicked” fans have reservations about her playing Glinda in the film adaptation of the Tony-winning musical.

During a recent interview with the “Sentimental Men” podcast, Grande was asked what scared her the most after she was offered the part in the Universal’s movie musical. “I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver, or why I would be wrong or whatever,” Grande responded.

She later noted how fans of the musical might’ve only recognized her from her pop songs when her casting was announced, saying, “Going off of ‘Side to Side,’ I probably would’ve said the same thing.

I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the fuck? Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this. Kill me.’ I would’ve said that — as a fan from the outside knowing of only ‘7 Rings,’ probably — I’d say, ‘Well, that’s bullshit.’ So, you know, I get it.” Grande’s casting in “Wicked” received mixed reactions online after it was announced in 2021.