Who Is Ariana Grande Playing in Wicked? Witch Character Explained

Tamal Kundu
·2 min read
Image Credits: Universal Pictures
Image Credits: Universal Pictures
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Fans are wondering what role Ariana Grande is playing in the musical fantasy film Wicked, slated to release in the US theaters on November 27. Directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman, Wicked revolves around two witches with contrasting personalities and their unlikely friendship. Grande is one of the biggest pop stars of today, so there is considerable interest in the witch character she is portraying in the film.

Here’s what we found about the artist’s role in Wicked and whether it is a villainous one.

What role is Ariana Grande playing in Wicked?

Ariana Grande is playing Glinda Upland, a young woman who undergoes a significant transition as the story progresses. The film will focus on Glinda’s friendship with another young woman, Elphaba Thropp.

Wicked is a two-part movie, with Part 2 set to release in November 2025. The film is based on Holzman and Stephen Schwartz’s stage musical of the same name, which itself is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book.

Published by ReganBooks, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is the first entry in The Wicked Years series. It reimagines L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and subverts the tropes present in that book. It offers the perspectives of Glinda and Elphaba, two characters who go on to play important roles in Dorothy’s story in Baum’s work.

Is Glinda bad in Wicked?

No, Glinda is not bad in Wicked. On the contrary, she is destined to become Glinda the Good Witch. Meanwhile, Elphaba, her green friend, will one day transform into the Wicked Witch of the West. Depending on how closely the film adapts the musical, it will likely focus on how those transitions happen and what impact they have on the friendship between the two women.

Before Ariana Grande, several actresses have portrayed various iterations of Glinda on stage and screen. Notably, Billie Burke played the character in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz.

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