Ariana Grande may have started out best known for her powerhouse vocals, but after Wicked shattered box office records, she’s now just as celebrated for her portrayal of Glinda the Good Witch. Ahead of the 2025 movie release of the highly anticipated sequel, the upcoming Wicked: For Good, the pop icon is giving fans a more vulnerable look behind the magic. The singer-turned-actress recently opened up about the intensity of filming and the emotional toll of portraying such an iconic character.
The 7 Rings singer shared a behind-the-scenes video from the set on her Instagram. Along with the video was the heartfelt caption describing the physical and emotional toll the production took on everyone involved. The post serves as both a thank-you to her fellow Wicked castmates and a candid glimpse into the demands of a cinematic event years in the making. Grande wrote:
These films were a tremendous undertaking in every way for all of us… mentally, physically, emotionally… floating home sleepily at the end of every work day feeling like ‘husks’….
Even amid that exhaustion, the former child star’s tone shifted toward gratitude, focusing on the support system that helped her make it through. She continued:
I am so inexplicably lucky to have had the support of my bubble and the people within it. everywhere i turned, at any given moment, i was met with the warmth of a million suns, the sweetest hugs and hands to hold.
Ariana Grande’s comments reflect a level of emotional honesty that is becoming increasingly uncommon in blockbuster filmmaking. While Wicked: For Good promises an epic conclusion (take a look at the excellent final trailer), the performer’s message reminds fans that behind every powerful song and dance are artists pouring their hearts into their work. I, for one, could not be more pumped for the flick to hit screens.
As for what awaits in Wicked: For Good, it depends on how well you know your Oz lore. Composer Stephen Schwartz has confirmed the addition of two new songs for the film, but the latest trailer teases more than enough to keep fans speculating, especially about what’s next for Madame Morrible, Nessa and Boq.
The story is set to pick up with Elphaba, now branded the Wicked Witch of the West, living in exile deep within the forests of Oz. Meanwhile, Glinda enjoys the comforts of fame and power from her palace in Emerald City. But when an angry mob rises against Elphaba, the former friends team up, not only to confront their shared past, but to reshape the future of Oz itself.
Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh returns as Madame Morrible, and she looks particularly sinister this time around. A new clip kind of contains a spoiler, showing her behind the storm that carries Dorothy’s house into Oz, and happens to be the same twister that kills the Wicked Witch of the East. It’s a clever connection to her earlier display of weather manipulation in the first film, cementing Morrible’s role as one of the saga’s true villains.
Wicked: For Good arrives in theaters on November 21, 2025, marking the grand finale of one of Hollywood’s most ambitious musical adaptations. Interestingly, rumors have already begun swirling about a possible third installment. If those whispers prove true, it’ll be worth watching to see whether Ariana Grande steps back into her bubble as Glinda the Good, especially after the immense effort it took to bring her to life across the first two films.