Ariana Grande has been changed for good. In an emotional post to her Instagram Story Thursday (Jan. 25), the 30-year-old pop star gushed about her time playing Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming Wicked films, the first of which arrives Nov. 27.
“i will never forget even a minute of my year(s) with [Glinda],” she wrote, resharing a post from Chu’s account. “Or you. or my Cyn. permanently and preferably intertwined.”
“i am so inexplicably thankful that we got to add so many soggy eyelashes to the collection,” she continued, tagging the film’s director. “there aren’t words quite yet. but. thank you, Jon, for leading the way with such compassion, openness, brilliance and kindness. i have never seen someone conduct a space the way you do. i love you so much.”
“have an incredibly beautiful last day tomorrow,” the “Positions” singer added, seemingly confirming that Wicked is finally wrapping up more than a year after filming commenced in the U.K. in 2022. The shoot was originally scheduled to conclude in July 2023, but was shut down 10 days before its original end date due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which respectively ended in September and November.
Aside from a couple “first look” photos shared in April, sneak peeks at the Wicked films have been minimal. Grande did, however, also share a snap of her shadow on Thursday, showing off the unmistakable silhouette of her pink Glinda gown.
“like a handprint on my heart,” she captioned the post, quoting lyrics from “For Good.”
And as Grande’s time as Glinda comes to a close, her new era is just beginning. This week, the Victorious alum scored her eighth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as her latest single “Yes, And?” debuted in the top spot on the chart, less than two months ahead of her March-slated album, Eternal Sunshine.
“it is overwhelming and so sincerely moving to see how many of you this song has resonated with,” she wrote on her Story Monday (Jan. 22). “it is such a gift to feel so seen and held by you! thank you for your positivity, for your support and for everything. you have no idea how much you mean to me! this is absolutely because of and entirely for you. thank you!”