Ariana Grande revealed that filming Wicked reignited her passion for music.
While speaking with Evan Ross Katz on the Shut Up Evan podcast, the Zoolander 2 star shared that performing in Wicked reignited her interest in music as she described the experience as a “genuine spark” that reconnected her to her creative roots.
"I felt like a genuine spark, like a reconnection and inspiration and something I mean, maybe I missed it," Grande said.
"Maybe it's as simple as I missed it," she continued.
The Wicked star added, "But I do feel like you have to miss things in order to learn how to become better, you know what I mean? And I think I learned so much. And then also I genuinely wanted to do it. I just felt like I couldn't not. It was an inspired moment and I had to write an album and I had to do it."
Grande shared that her team cautioned her about the intense January reshoots, but she stayed determined to keep her creative spark alive.
"I said, great, that's fine. I'll finish it before then, or I'll finish it after," she said of her rigorous recording and filming schedule.
Grande, who plays Glinda in the Wicked film adaptation, recalled pausing production during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Host Evan Ross Katz then asked if returning after the long break required her to “find” the character again.
"No, it was there. There was nothing to find. It was so strange, I was like 'Oh I wonder if this will feel weird.' And as soon as I got there it was like, done. She was right there, it was wonderful, thank god," Grande said.
Wicked was released in November 2024, and Wicked: For Good, the second part of the film adaptation, will hit the theaters on November 21.
