Ariana Grande Opens Up About How Wicked Transformed Her Voice and More
Ariana Grande’s speaking voice may have undergone a permanent transformation thanks to her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the highly anticipated Wicked movie musical. In a recent cover story with Variety, the actress and pop star revealed that the Transatlantic tone she adopted for the role has not only lingered through filming but may become a lasting part of her speech.
“I think that might stay,” Grande shared. “Galinda required a lot of vocal work for me. Certain things maybe won’t melt away. Some will, but I’m really grateful for the pieces that will stay with us forever. What a beautiful thing to be left with, and to feel the ghost of every day.”
This voice adjustment isn’t the only part of her Glinda transformation Grande hopes to carry forward. Teasing about her blonde eyebrows, which she’s maintained since filming, Grande joked, “I’m still looking for my eyebrows. I’ll let you know if I find them — I hope I don’t.”
The Immersive Challenge of Wicked
Grande also reflected on the process of diving into her character alongside co-star Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the two-part film. Over the course of two years, both actors fully immersed themselves in their roles. “We spent time finding and disappearing into our characters to properly bring them to life,” Grande explained. “So when certain inflections or mannerisms take time to melt away, sometimes people poke fun. But we had a job to do, and we had things to get lost in — because that’s what the piece required.”
Her evolving voice has been a topic of discussion on social media for years, with fans creating YouTube compilations analyzing its changes. After Wicked, the conversation reignited, especially following a viral clip from her appearance on the Podcrushed podcast last June. Responding to comments about her altered tone, Grande defended herself on TikTok, writing, “Habit (speaking like this for two years) and also vocal health. I intentionally change my vocal placement (high/low) depending on how much singing I’m doing. I’ve always done this. BYE.”
A Double Standard in Hollywood
Grande also addressed how actresses are perceived differently from their male counterparts when maintaining accents or vocal shifts after filming. Speaking to Vanity Fair last September, she noted, “When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed. There are definitely jokes that are made, but it’s always led with praise: ‘Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.’ And that’s just a part of the job, really.”
She added, “Tale as old as time being a woman in this industry. You are treated differently, and you are under a microscope in a way that some people aren’t.”
Grande isn’t alone in this experience. Austin Butler faced similar scrutiny after his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Butler admitted that he struggled to drop the Southern drawl he used for the role, even seeking help from a dialect coach. “It was a lot,” Butler shared on The Late Show. “I was just trying to remember who I was. All I thought about was Elvis for three years.”
Wicked Takes Flight
The first installment of Wicked is already captivating audiences in theaters, with the sequel, Wicked: For Good, set to release on November 21. Fans are thrilled to see how Grande and Erivo bring their beloved characters to life, with Grande’s transformative performance as Glinda undoubtedly becoming one of her most talked-about roles to date.
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