Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana Grande have been changed for good thanks to Wicked.
As the Broadway star gushed at the film's Los Angeles premiere Nov. 9,Databec Exchange getting the chance to see Ariana take on the role of Glinda, which Kristin originated in the Broadway version over two decades ago, has been a dream come true.
"When she was 10 she told me, 'I want to be you. I want to play Glinda.' In that same voice," Kristin told Zuri Hall and Justin Sylvester on the red carpet. "Obviously, we are close. I've known her since she was 10."
The 56-year-old recalled that when Ariana got the audition, "we both cried," and joked that when they found out the "7 Rings" singer had landed the role, "We both sounded like dolphins."
According to Kristin, after Ariana was cast she told the Tony winner, "‘I want to make you proud. I want to pay homage to you.'"
To which Kristin replied, "‘You will do all of that, but put your own stamp on it.' And she did."
To get your tickets for Wicked, premiering Nov. 22, click here.The Pushing Daisies alum was especially excited for fans to see Ariana on the big screen, saying, "I think people forget what a great actor she is."
"She started in theater and now she's playing the role that she was born to play," Kristin continued. "And it took 22 years, I set it in stone, and now she's bringing it home."
And when it comes to the future of her own career, the Schmigadoon! star is grateful for the roles she's gotten to play in movies and TV—saying she only takes a job "if I see Kristin Chenoweth doing that role"—but at her heart, "I will always be a Broadway person."
Which is why the premiere of the film version of Wicked was especially meaningful for her, as she couldn't believe all the fans that had come out for the event.
"This is crazy. They all screamed my name," she gushed. "And I just wept."
To see more from the Wicked red carpet, including Ariana and her costars Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey, keep reading.
(E!, Universal Pictures and Fandango are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App2025-05-08 00:07948 view
2025-05-07 23:392752 view
2025-05-07 23:26311 view
2025-05-07 23:241214 view
2025-05-07 22:34486 view
2025-05-07 22:222475 view
Among the dozens of executive actions President Trump signed on his first day in office is one aimed
SAN DIEGO — The New York Yankees have the best seats in the world to watch the greatest show in base
Whether writing about spoonfuls of sugar or small worlds, songwriter Richard M. Sherman knew how to