Ariana Grande absolutely stole the show at the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards on January 3. Held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, the night was filled with glitz, glamour, and Grande's impeccable style. Donned in a silver metallic ballgown, complete with a bubble-shaped skirt reminiscent of her Wicked character Glinda the Good, Grande's interaction with Babygirl's Nicole Kidman was one of the major highlights of the event.
But the real showstopper of the evening wasn’t just her outfit — it was when she graced the stage to accept the Rising Star Award. “Thank you guys so much,” she told the crowd after receiving the honour from Jennifer Coolidge. “You don't know how much it means to me,” Grande continued. “I've been performing since I was a child, so I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words ‘rising star’ again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm.” The room erupted in laughter as Ariana added, “I thought I'd be hearing ‘slightly withering star’ or ‘drooping star’ by now, so thank you!”
Netizens react
While Ariana was refreshingly candid while accepting the award, many netizens did not feel this way, further criticising her remarks and labelling them tone-deaf as well as ageist. One commenter wrote, “She lacks professionalism, and she’s only 31 — like how awkward for all the older women in the crowd. She hides her prejudice under the guise of a sense of humor.” Another pointed out the irony, saying, “She literally posed with Nicole Kidman who is twice her age… so for her to make an ageist comment about herself is 👀.” Some found her words to be a humble brag disguised as a joke, with one user adding, “31 isn’t even f***ing old 🙄. ‘I look so young’ humble brag.” Others dug deeper, questioning her past statements about beauty standards. “Didn’t she say in one of her videos addressing beauty standards (was it Vogue? Idk) that she stopped getting Botox 4-5 years ago?”
{{/usCountry}}While Ariana was refreshingly candid while accepting the award, many netizens did not feel this way, further criticising her remarks and labelling them tone-deaf as well as ageist. One commenter wrote, “She lacks professionalism, and she’s only 31 — like how awkward for all the older women in the crowd. She hides her prejudice under the guise of a sense of humor.” Another pointed out the irony, saying, “She literally posed with Nicole Kidman who is twice her age… so for her to make an ageist comment about herself is 👀.” Some found her words to be a humble brag disguised as a joke, with one user adding, “31 isn’t even f***ing old 🙄. ‘I look so young’ humble brag.” Others dug deeper, questioning her past statements about beauty standards. “Didn’t she say in one of her videos addressing beauty standards (was it Vogue? Idk) that she stopped getting Botox 4-5 years ago?”
{{/usCountry}}“….it really does feel like the beginning of a new chapter”
As for the rest of the speech, Grande also gave a heartfelt nod to Wicked director Jon M. Chu, whom she called her “fearless leader,” and her brilliant co-star Cynthia Erivo, whom she referred to as her “brilliant sister.” Grande also dove into a bit of nostalgia, sharing how comedy was the foundation of her career. “Being able to play Glinda the Good was not only the honour of my life, but it felt like a homecoming,” she said. “For those of you who don't know, I started out in stand-up comedy. My first professional gig was in our living room in Boca Raton, Fla., [entertaining] my grandparents. I was 4 years old and my mom gave me $5.” She continued, “I learned early on that laughter was one of our greatest escapes. And the past 10 years when I was really focused on music, I really missed that feeling. So it really does feel like the beginning of a new chapter.”
The first of many awards, Grande is lighting up the season with her performance as Glinda the Good in Wicked: Part One; the star has also racked up nominations for Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and more.