Singer and actress Ariana Grande, 31, said she would have “ended up in a mental hospital” if she hadn’t dedicated herself exclusively to preparing to play Glinda in the film adaptation of the musical “Wicked”.
Despite her years of experience in the industry, the “Thank U, Next” singer told the British edition of HELLO! that the challenge of bringing the character to life was unlike anything he had ever faced in his career.
“There were so many reasons why I wanted to do this, but I wanted to earn it. Vocally, it’s very different from what I usually sing, so I started rehearsing every day with my vocal coach and my acting coach. Whatever was asked of me, I wanted to be able to embody it and truly become Glinda.”
Ariana Grande explained that she paused other activities and focused entirely on production. “I gave my all and paused everything else; I really wanted this. I think if I hadn’t done that, I might have ended up in an insane asylum. It was a very different experience than any other, for sure”, he confessed.
The singer reported that her connection with actress Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, was essential for them to feel safe during filming.
“We were at her house. We talked about everything and had a lot of laughs. I felt an immediate sense of security. And we made a pact to take care of each other.”
The partnership also helped her overcome her initial nervousness. “I was scared to death, but she is the warmest human being there is. That promise we made to each other and how we kept it is one of the things we are most proud of,” he said.
“We have a lot of similar, strange traumas and pains that we go through. I felt very isolated in mine, because they were, in a way, specific. But playing a character that made me feel less alone because they were similar was something I needed in my life.”
Watch the trailer for “Wicked”
This content was originally published in “Wicked”: Ariana Grande explains why she paused her career to focus on the film on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
