Ariana Grande recalls Wicked audition process amid her Oscar nomination
Ariana Grande has been looking back at her Wicked audition process!
The actress and pop superstar burst onto screens last November, when she appeared alongside Cynthia Erivo in the screen adaptation of the musical Wicked.
The movie, which smashed box office records, is described as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and follows green witch Elphaba (Erivo) as she forms an unlikely friendship with popular Glinda (Grande) at Shiz University.
Since its release, Wicked – which will be followed up by a second film, Wicked: For Good this November – has been scoring multiple nominations during awards season. Yesterday (January 23), the cast and crew secured 10 Academy Award recognitions.
Not only has Wicked been nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture, but Cynthia and Ariana also received nominations in their respective categories, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
Now, after securing her first-ever Oscar nomination, Ariana has been reflecting on how she prepared for the role of Glinda!
During an interview on The Graham Norton Show, which is due to air tonight, the 31-year-old reflected on her audition process.
“I started preparing for it before I even had an audition,” Ariana admitted to host Graham Norton.
“There were murmurs about the role, so I started working with voice and acting coaches – I wanted all the tools in the box to be available to me,” she explained.
“I thought if I did the work then maybe I would have a chance. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t get the role, and I cried so much in the final screen test,” the thank u, next hitmaker added.
Ariana also gushed over her Oscar nomination, as she exclaimed: “It was so surreal – I did not expect at all. It is overwhelming, I have been sobbing all day.”
She praised further: “It has been really emotional, and I am so grateful for our Wicked family and for Cynthia being celebrated. It is very special.”
The Graham Norton Show airs tonight on BBC One (January 24) at 11:05pm.
