Ariana Grande reveals what draws her to Glinda in Wicked For Good: ‘Her emotional arc is my favorite thing about her’

Ariana Grande shared how there's a full arc her character Glinda goes through from Wicked to Wicked: For Good, which is set to released on November 21.

Updated on: Nov 13, 2025, 14:38:47 IST

By Santanu Das

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Wicked: For Good, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. A sequel to 2024's Wicked, this time around, it is Ariana's Glinda who stands at the centre of Oz’s fragile new order after her once-unbreakable friendship with Elphaba (Cynthia) fractures under the strain of divided loyalties.

Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked: For Good.

What Ariana shared

Talking about the journey that Glinda has to navigate in the upcoming film, Ariana said, “One of my favorite things about Glinda is following her growth from the beginning of Wicked to the end of Wicked: For Good. She spends the entire story searching for the true meaning of goodness, and that definition changes for her many times, as each traumatic event takes place, and there are many that she experiences, they propel her towards the truth. Her emotional arc is my favorite thing about her.”

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the 'Wicked: For Good' European premiere at the Cineworld Leicester Square in London. REUTERS/Jack Taylor (REUTERS)

Meanwhile, producer Marc Platt added, “At the start of the film, Glinda is the kind of leader The Wizard wants her to be and the kind the people of Oz expect. She is lovely, charming and generous, but it is a hollow kind of leadership. Only the audience sees her private moments, where she begins to question who she truly is. Through that struggle, her humanity resurfaces, and she becomes the leader she was meant to be, one guided by compassion and conviction rather than image or expectation.” Platt observes.

About Wicked For Good

The official synopsis of the film reads, “As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.”

Wicked: For Good is directed by Jon M. Chu, and is set to hit Indian theatres on November 21.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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