This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Ariana Grande: Hi, I'm Ariana Grande. Hi, I'm Cynthia Erivo. And you're listening to The Sentimental Men Podcast.

[0:05] Quincy Brown: Visit vpn.fm to discover more.

[0:14] Kevin Bianchi: It's turkey lurkey time. Dumb turkey ran away but he has to give up.

[0:19] Quincy Brown: It's turkey lurkey time.

[0:22] Kevin Bianchi: It's turkey lurkey time.

[0:24] Quincy Brown: We really never say never to him.

[1:21] Kevin Bianchi: He thought like, very much in that like Idina way of like, when she kept the lid on her vocal powerhouse and when she sang the house down boots was so intentional and selective. So he really loved that. He thought that Miss Ariana, same as us, was like paying homage to all the girlies that came before her in the appropriate places.

[1:45] Quincy Brown: He obviously had like so much more to say about the costumes than either of us do.

[1:50] Kevin Bianchi: Sure. I've seen a lot of drag queens praising the costumes in the film.

[1:54] Quincy Brown: Well, what's not to praise? They're brilliant.

[1:56] Kevin Bianchi: Not that Connor's a drag queen on that topic.

[2:00] Quincy Brown: I think the costumes are great like for drag queens and like for cosplayers because they're so...

[2:10] Kevin Bianchi: Specific?

[2:11] Quincy Brown: Visual and they're so specific. Yeah, there are details to replicate.

[2:17] Kevin Bianchi: That it's like, it's easy to tell if somebody is doing a good replication or not.

[2:24] Quincy Brown: So I think we're going to see a lot of drag queens, cosplayers, Halloween next year.

[2:32] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[2:33] Quincy Brown: Very detailed recreations.

[2:35] Kevin Bianchi: I'm sad we never did our Ariana and Cynthia Super Bowl recreation for Halloween this year.

[2:41] Quincy Brown: I know, but speaking of the Super Bowl, I was just literally today thinking, I'm like, oh gosh, we had like wicked, wicked, wicked, wicked, wicked, wicked for so long and now it's going to be like nothing. We have a whole year. And then I was like, no, Kevin, it was literally like February 9th when the trailer came out last year. So we have like six weeks to go.

[3:05] Kevin Bianchi: Did you see that Universal Marketing responded to something saying that, no, the marketing isn't going to continue through movie two. They're going to go away because how can you miss us if we don't go away?

[3:10] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I hear that. I don't buy it because by the time the press and marketing dies down for Wicked 1, it will just naturally be time to have to start promoting the second movie. Plus Oscars are going to happen and they're going to have to start pushing for Oscars.

[3:35] Kevin Bianchi: There's no way it can actually die down. They're going to do an Oscar campaign before they start selling us Wicked 2 is what I think that means. But I still think we're in store for Wicked all year. Because it's like, they're going to be selling us this movie until the end of the calendar year. And then some, I think. And then it's going to get pulled from theater or whenever it gets pulled from theaters. And so then by that point, then it's Oscar season or it's awards season. So it's like now they don't have to sell us the movie because everyone's going to be talking about it anyway. The nominations are going to be selling the movie. The wins are going to be selling the movie. I do think the massive success, I mean, we should talk about it, the highest grossing movie musical adaptation of all time. I think. Let's get the quote right. Yeah. Highest grossing movie based on a Broadway musical.

[4:30] Quincy Brown: Wow. I think like Grease was holding it and then it beat Grease.

[4:36] Kevin Bianchi: That's insane. It's insane that it's doing exactly what everyone wanted it to do though. Like so rarely do you get to experience these moments where what you want to happen happens.

[4:43] Quincy Brown: Yeah. I also saw Wicked again for my fourth and fifth time over the Thanksgiving weekend in Madrid. The first time I went with Matt and it was in English and it was his first time seeing it and he really loved it. We were talking about it after and he got emotional and started crying because he was saying it was so beautiful that they just trusted the material as opposed to in so many movie adaptations, they try and fix or add or change or blah, blah, blah.

[5:15] Kevin Bianchi: Or distract you with a concept or whatever.

[5:20] Quincy Brown: Yes. He thought it was really beautiful that they just trusted the material and then it worked so well. It has proven to work so well. And then the second time, so I was very concerned about the Spanish dubbing the first time I bought tickets because I was like, as much as I would love to hear the Spanish dub because it was done by Wicked Mexico, Elphaba and Glinda, Dana, Paola and Sisi de la Cueva.

[5:44] Kevin Bianchi: Which is iconic.

[5:46] Quincy Brown: Yeah. So I definitely wanted to hear that. I was not quite ready to move away from Cynthia and Ariana yet. So then the first movie I just bought tickets and it was in English and I was very happy this gay man in front of us before the movie started turned around to the entire theater and said, hola chicas y gays. And everyone kind of laughed and he was like, no, no.

[6:13] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[6:18] Quincy Brown: And then the second time we went, I just bought tickets again, not thinking about it. And then we sit down and all of the trailers that I had seen two days prior that were in English were now dubbed Spanish. So I was like, oh, this is it. And then the movie starts here. And I was like, oh, this is the Spanish dub.

[6:36] Kevin Bianchi: But what's really cool is before the movie starts, they kind of do this like Star Wars text on screen thing. And it was in Spanish. And it said, the land of Oz, to the land of Oz, a wonderful land where magic. It was in Spanish. This is Google translated. A wonderful land where magic is real, where a magician rules from his Emerald City, where animals can talk and once lived in harmony with humans. But in recent years, discord and discontent spread throughout the territory and some began to blame the animals. The problems got worse when a powerful witch began to terrorize Oz. Today, the evil witch has finally been defeated. After his death, the emissary of the magician, which I think is the translation for the Wizard of Oz, the emissary of the magician, Glinda La Buena, is in charge of announcing the good news.

[7:28] Quincy Brown: And that was fascinating to me that like, it got that preamble. Because the Wizard of Oz is not as culturally relevant in Spain. Like that scrolled on screen before the movie began.

[7:44] Kevin Bianchi: We didn't get that in America.

[7:46] Quincy Brown: No, that's interesting. It was like a full designed text thing. I love the translation of the wizard being the magician. Because it implies a level of trickery that wizard does not.

[8:01] Kevin Bianchi: I know you just said a whole thing, but I was thinking about that the whole time.

[8:08] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I just thought it was really fascinating that they play that before the movie in Spain.

[8:14] Kevin Bianchi: That is really interesting.

[8:17] Quincy Brown: Hmm. Hmm. Glinda La Buena. Glinda La Buena. So for my fifth viewing, I saw it in Spanish, which was actually really fun. And we took Matt's kids. And I was giving, they were obviously didn't know what was happening. Yeah. But it was fun because I was quite literally whispering the English in their ears as the movie was going along. I was like, damn, I know this show. Yeah. So at school, we started our musical theater unit. So of course, I started it with Wicked because I'm not a monster. So what we did was we watched The Wizard and I, and we watched No Good Deed. And then we talked about what are the differences between the two.

[9:00] Kevin Bianchi: Bootlegs? Bootlegs.

[9:02] Quincy Brown: Who? Jessica Vosk.

[9:04] Kevin Bianchi: Okay. Partially because of who she is. Partially because there are two good quality bootlegs of her. Partially because I wanted to inspire the kids with her story of being in banking and knowing she was meant for Broadway. And they were very gagged by that. So the first video, The Wizard and I, the title of it was Jessica Vosk is so happy she can. So then we watched the second video and I'm like, so what do you guys think? Like, what are your reactions? I'm this kid who never talks. Raises his hand and goes, now Jessica Vosk is mad.

[9:43] Kevin Bianchi: I do want to see Wicked on stage again. I feel like it's been so long.

[9:46] Quincy Brown: I will say my fourth and fifth viewings of the movie breezed by. I am now convinced I can sit through this movie as many times as necessary. Should we listen? We've been getting some listener reactions to the movies.

[10:02] Kevin Bianchi: Yes.

[10:04] Quincy Brown: We have some fun things in store for these reactions. So please keep sending us voice memos to sentmenpod at gmail.com. Voice memos as an attachment to the email at sentmenpod at gmail.com. If you send us a voice note on Instagram, it's not making it. I'm sorry. It's tough. Just technically, it's tough to get it transferred into the episode. So please make our lives easy, but we do want to hear from you. Let's listen to Matthew's.

[10:36] Matthew: Okay, guys, listen, I just saw the movie and I think you're taking reactions, right?

[10:42] Quincy Brown: Right. Yeah.

[10:43] Matthew: This is Matt coming in from Cincinnati, Ohio. I just had chills the whole two hours and 40 minutes. I mean, it just was unbelievable. And you know, so many things got me, but the thing that's on my mind right now is the acting beats that Cynthia and Ari could take because it was on screen, because there was more time, because the cameras were up close on their faces. You could see so much of what I think on stage is kind of emotional subtext. You could see it on their faces so much better. And it just cut me deep, deep into my soul. That Ozdust scene was something else. I lost my mind. It just was excellent. And of course, the music was great. The vocals were astounding. But one theory, I went with a friend who knew the book better than the Broadway show, the original book.

[11:48] Kevin Bianchi: Interesting.

[11:50] Matthew: Slay was talking about how this movie stayed true to the book. And from what you guys have talked about, I'm thinking that means there was more to do with the animals. It was probably a reflection of that first act having been two and a half hours long or whatever it was before it got cut. And I think he wondered, or maybe we were talking about this, like, what if, what if, what if Elphaba dies in this movie? Do you think they would do that? I'm going to leave that there. But thank you guys for everything that you do. I joke with you guys all the time that you make me spend all my money because now I know about all these amazing performers and I go see them and I love it. Good.

[12:36] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Thank you guys for everything you do. You've totally changed my sense of appreciation for this show, for everything about it. So that's great. Love you guys.

[12:49] Quincy Brown: Awesome.

[12:50] Kevin Bianchi: Love you, Matthew.

[12:51] Quincy Brown: Very intrigued by this line of thought.

[12:55] Kevin Bianchi: I think one thing that is very true about this first movie is that it's pretty strict to Wicked on stage. A little bit, we've said this before, it is act one of Wicked the musical, just everything has a little bit more room to breathe. So if I was judging by that, I would say they're probably not going to do something as drastic as kill Elphaba in the second movie, just because this first movie has been so faithful to Wicked as it appears on stage.

[13:26] Quincy Brown: Also a no for me because the answer to that question is in the first shot of this first part.

[13:35] Kevin Bianchi: Wait, wait, wait, what?

[13:35] Quincy Brown: Am I allowed to say it? This is a spoilers episode, right?

[13:38] Kevin Bianchi: Is it in the movie?

[13:39] Quincy Brown: Yeah, we can talk about the movie.

[13:40] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. When the camera first goes over the hat and out the window, you see Fiyero's horse riding away and then you see Dorothy and the boys walking down the Ellerbrook road. So you know it's not Fiyero on his horse because he's the scarecrow walking down the Ellerbrook road. So I believe at the end of the second movie...

[14:05] Kevin Bianchi: That's Elphaba.

[14:06] Quincy Brown: That's Elphaba, yeah. Escaping Oz.

[14:08] Kevin Bianchi: Can you see the person on the horse?

[14:10] Quincy Brown: You see it's from the back and like way, way above.

[14:15] Kevin Bianchi: I'm going to watch for it closer next time.

[14:18] Quincy Brown: I know, now I have to.

[14:20] Kevin Bianchi: Do you think...

[14:21] Quincy Brown: Which...

[14:22] Kevin Bianchi: Go ahead.

[14:23] Quincy Brown: What a better last image for the show is like Elphaba grounded at last riding away on a horse. Much better than hand-in-hand with the boy into the sunset.

[14:38] Kevin Bianchi: Well, I think now your timeline is confusing me because I still think we're ending with hand-in-hand riding into the sunset.

[14:42] Quincy Brown: No, I don't think so.

[14:49] Kevin Bianchi: I think Wizard of Oz timeline mashed over the Wicked timeline. The foursome walking up to the Wizard of Oz is pretty Elphaba melting.

[14:58] Quincy Brown: No, no, no, no, no, no. It's them walking away after because he's like, fetch me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West. And they go and they melt her and they take the broom with them back.

[15:15] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, I always thought that shot was them walking to the Emerald City.

[15:19] Quincy Brown: No, because it's after we go from the puddle with the hat. So the witch has melted.

[15:26] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I guess I wasn't really thinking all of that was happening at the same time and they were kind of just giving us a montage of vibes.

[15:32] Quincy Brown: I took it very literally.

[15:36] Kevin Bianchi: So we'll figure it out in a year.

[15:40] Quincy Brown: If there's one thing I've come to appreciate about John M. Chu as a director after having watched his film, his magnum opus three times is that everything is for a reason.

[15:54] Kevin Bianchi: Well, I'm also wondering, do you think we're going to see like No One Mourns the Wicked in part two? Do you think we're going to see Glinda getting in her bubble to go down and talk to the Oz people in part two?

[16:09] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[16:11] Kevin Bianchi: I think there could be some cool same shots from movie one and movie two.

[16:15] Quincy Brown: Agreed.

[16:17] Kevin Bianchi: Because I've just been wondering how they're going to tie that thread that like we started at the end. And you know what I'm saying?

[16:22] Quincy Brown: You know what I'm saying?

[16:24] Kevin Bianchi: Also, a reason why I was grateful why the prelude text in the Madrid showing of the movie made sense to me is because it clearly sets up we are starting at the end of all this nonsense, which is like if you're walking into the movie without a lot of context of the Wizard of Oz and Wicked, that maybe could be confusing.

[16:44] Quincy Brown: Especially because then we go back.

[16:49] Kevin Bianchi: The going back.

[16:50] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[16:51] Kevin Bianchi: Which I think is my favorite part of the movie.

[16:54] Quincy Brown: You love that you light up every time you talk about that part.

[16:57] Kevin Bianchi: It's so it's okay. It's everything about it, though. It's the inclusion of the for good theme. So much better than...

[17:10] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[17:11] Kevin Bianchi: The for good theme. Instant waterworks for me. The hands. The shot of Glinda putting her head on the shoulder, which is only there. It's nowhere else in the movie.

[17:22] Quincy Brown: I know. I'm wondering if I got cut from movie one or is it going to come in act two?

[17:27] Kevin Bianchi: I also love it if it only exists in that little memory.

[17:31] Quincy Brown: It's that one flash. And then are you kidding? Ariana Grande's delivery of At School is perfect. Just watch it. Watch for it specifically next time you see this movie.

[17:44] Kevin Bianchi: Sorry, I have the Spanish dub version in my head.

[17:46] Quincy Brown: You know what was cool about the dub?

[17:48] Kevin Bianchi: What?

[17:49] Quincy Brown: They had to copy their line readings and riffs. So you were getting Spanish versions of the specific riffs and runs that Ariana and Cynthia did. And only that they had to do a Bible recreation of the Cynthia Ariana performance.

[18:05] Kevin Bianchi: My, my, how the tables have turned on Wicked the Musical.

[18:10] Quincy Brown: The riffs are the Bible.

[18:12] Kevin Bianchi: That's very interesting and an element of international film release that I did not know.

[18:18] Quincy Brown: I also will say I just flew back and I was listening to the Wicked soundtrack. Obviously, I did not anticipate this soundtrack to have such a chokehold on me because we obviously know the music. The orchestrations are gorgeous.

[18:29] Kevin Bianchi: Stunning.

[18:33] Quincy Brown: They're so, so gorgeous. And a lot of the choral arrangements are fleshed out as well.

[18:41] Kevin Bianchi: Which I love that we've now learned all of the like ensemble vocals are like Broadway alum.

[18:48] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[18:49] Kevin Bianchi: I'm glad Alyssa Fox is in this movie.

[18:51] Quincy Brown: Uh-huh.

[18:52] Kevin Bianchi: And Kara Lindsay.

[18:53] Quincy Brown: Kara Lindsay.

[18:55] Kevin Bianchi: I hear, I think it's One Short Day. It sounds like there's a choir of kids singing at one point.

[19:01] Quincy Brown: Really?

[19:03] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, go back and listen to it. I'm like pretty positive.

[19:05] Quincy Brown: Oh, wait, but there is.

[19:07] Kevin Bianchi: No, there is because there's a separate section in the credits that say like children vocals or something.

[19:17] Quincy Brown: Oh, really?

[19:18] Kevin Bianchi: And one of them is Stephen Aremus' child, daughter, I think.

[19:23] Quincy Brown: Oh, cute.

[19:24] Kevin Bianchi: And I'm thinking it's probably a lot of people's like little kids. It's a nice touch. It adds like a fun energy. One Short Day is really hitting for me on the soundtrack. What is this feeling? And Dancing Through Life is so good. I love what they did with Dancing Through Life on the soundtrack.

[19:36] Quincy Brown: I do too. And I second your, what you said about what is this feeling? That has really had a hold on me and on the entire world, it would seem.

[19:50] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[19:51] Quincy Brown: Try as I might, I cannot, I can't do the...

[19:58] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, we have to get into our extended episode with Miss Ariana Grande. There's some really fun moments. We talk about the popular, the extended popular. We talk about some fangirl moments that she insisted remain in the movie. One really, really gagged us. Enjoy. And then next week, we'll be back for Cynthia's Extended. Anything else, Kevin?

[20:26] Kevin Bianchi: That's it.

[20:27] Quincy Brown: Enjoy. I'm Quincy.

[20:29] Kevin Bianchi: And I'm Kevin.

[20:30] Quincy Brown: And this is Sentimental Men. We're here to talk and maybe scream about our favorite women in musical theater.

[20:43] Kevin Bianchi: Ariana Grande, thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men.

[20:47] Ariana Grande: Thank you for having me. I'm so glad that we can do this and, you know, we didn't coordinate or anything.

[20:54] Quincy Brown: I know, it's been a pleasure.

[20:55] Ariana Grande: We just happened to wear...

[20:59] Quincy Brown: But I'm jealous of the pink.

[21:01] Ariana Grande: Especially me, jealous.

[21:04] Quincy Brown: Thank you so much. I'll see what I can do. I thought they made, like, I thought they were doing pink ones and green ones. And people were just getting, like, luck of the draw, pink or green. But then no one else had them. I feel like those are limited edition. I thought that was the plan. And then I was wrong. But you're so great. I can't believe you're here right now. I cannot thank you enough for joining.

[21:21] Ariana Grande: Thank you for having me. I'm honored. I'm such a fan and I love your show.

[21:26] Quincy Brown: Thank you. So we start every interview with how did Wicked the Musical enter your life as a normal person? What is your first touchpoint with the show?

[21:32] Ariana Grande: Wicked the Musical entered my life when I was 10. I got to see the original Broadway cast. I was very, very, very fortunate to see them. And it was during the Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS when they do the auctions after the show. And I kept bidding. And my mom was like, that's enough. Oh my God. But they were auctioning off a backstage tour. And we...

[22:02] Quincy Brown: And had you known about Wicked prior? Or was it just a random thing that your mom bought tickets to?

[22:05] Ariana Grande: No, it was just the show that everyone was talking about. And we love the Wizard of Oz. And I love Judy Garland. And I've always been a huge Wizard of Oz person. So, you know, the untold story of the Witches of Oz, we were like, count us in. And I don't think we had any idea what we were in for. I knew we were all just kind of life before and after Wicked. You know, like, there are so few things that I feel that way about. But it's like, you know, when art can shake you like that, I just only...

[22:37] Quincy Brown: Oh my God. I'm so sorry. Sorry, that might happen a lot.

[22:42] Ariana Grande: Just that might happen a lot, a lot. So let's just get it. I'm so sorry. I think they're okay. That's the whole story. I mean, really, it just moved us so much. And I remember getting the soundtrack and learning all the words within the first week of having it. I mean, I love it so much. I got to...

[22:56] Quincy Brown: Oh yeah. Again, we did the auction and we got to go backstage and meet everyone. And I remember Adina gave me a little green bracelet and just being so excited to meet everyone. And Kristen was just over the top, kind and generous. She gave me a little wand, which feels so full circle and insane. And a body wash that had glitter in it. And she said it was magical. And now I really believe that it was. And it was just a really beautiful experience. And I have loved it and turned to it for comfort ever since. Like the soundtrack has always been such a safe space for me. And I've always listened to it if I was nervous about something or to warm up. You know, it's funny because I started in musical theater and pop music sort of...

[23:46] Ariana Grande: I think my dogs are going to howl and sing a long note because there's sirens and they might react to that.

[23:51] Quincy Brown: Oh, I thought they were our sirens.

[23:53] Ariana Grande: No, no, no, they're mine. I'm sorry that I came with so many...

[24:00] Quincy Brown: No, it's perfect. We were allowed to.

[24:01] Ariana Grande: What was I saying? Oh, yes. But yeah, I don't know. Musical theater and Wicked in particular were always kind of my most grouting and comforting things that I would turn to.

[24:13] Quincy Brown: What was your first musical love growing up in musical theater, Grohly? What kind of gave you the bug?

[24:19] Ariana Grande: I don't even... I mean, I don't know. I mean, maybe Wizard of Oz.

[24:25] Quincy Brown: Myron, I'm so sorry. I think I should... Should I let him out really quickly and then come right back?

[24:31] Quincy Brown: Sure.

[24:31] Ariana Grande: I'm really sorry.

[24:32] Quincy Brown: I'm so sorry.

[24:34] Ariana Grande: Hi.

[24:35] Quincy Brown: It's okay.

[24:36] Ariana Grande: Hi.

[24:37] Quincy Brown: So if you're saying Broadway's kind of like your first love, your first... Or musicals are kind of your first touch point. And then as pop music kind of entered your life, what was that conversation like internally between like, well, here's this pop music career that is happening. How does that interact with my Broadway dreams? Because like when you're in 13, are you now thinking, okay, I'm going to grow up and be a Broadway diva. This is my path. Or was there other options on the table?

[25:29] Ariana Grande: Well, I had always hoped to do a little bit of both. And because I loved writing and I loved singing as well. And I loved pop music too. But I never figured it would be, come my whole life, the way that it did for a decade, really. It was kind of the only thing. And that I didn't see coming. I just kind of like, I loved theater. I loved being on Broadway. I loved going to shows. And my favorite thing in the world about musical theater was that it also integrated comedy. There's so much comedy. And that's always been something that has made my heart so happy, is comedy. It's one of my favorite things in the world. So I don't know. I think I pictured it being more... I think I pictured myself being more of a theater person.

And like, I would make music too. And hopefully I would have a little fan base that would be into my albums and do a little bit. And I remember people at the time would make fun of me for it. And they were like, oh, what are you going to do? Music and have fans and whatever. And I was like, I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. But it was funny because, yeah, I've never really talked about it. But when I was younger, some people actually like lightly bullied me about it. And we're like, oh, you're always singing like whatever. It was just it was a strange, interesting thing. But yeah, it's really funny. I don't think I expected for pop to become the only thing for such a long time. But I'm very grateful for everything, of course. But it's funny.

[27:12] Quincy Brown: But I do imagine when your pop career is careering, it becomes then difficult to find your way to the stage. Do you feel like you kind of have to segment it out when you're in the bag of either lane?

[27:25] Ariana Grande: Well, yeah, just because it's so strange. Like to me, I've been doing what I've been doing since I'm eight years old and I know what I love to do and can do. And, you know, being a part of shows and auditioning and, you know, that's such a happy, fun thing in my youth and my life. But it's funny because people need to. And this is something that I loved about auditioning so much for Wicked was that like, it has to be earned. Anything as you know, on this scale, being a part of anything, I think it's not just like given because they know you for one thing. So it's fun to kind of have the challenge of reframing people's perception and kind of like doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces because it's not just a no brainer because I know what happened one time, a long time ago, you know, I don't know.

[28:24] Kevin Bianchi: Right, right. Was that the question?

[28:26] Ariana Grande: No, not at all. It was so long ago.

[28:28] Quincy Brown: Well, I think that's interesting, though, is like what you're saying about feeling like you want to earn your way back into these other spaces, because I think it would probably be easy for you in the position that you're in to just be like, I would like to be in a Broadway show who will have me, you know, but it's like the fact that you want to earn that and you want to be it needs to be valid. You don't want to just walk in because you are Ariana Grande.

[28:56] Ariana Grande: Well, I feel I mean, that's that's so ridiculous. But no, I feel I really do feel like it's the opposite. I feel like it's the opposite in a lot of ways. And I think, well, that's how I see it anyway. And it's funny because people sometimes say that to me, like, you had to audition. I'm like, yeah, of course. Are you out of your gourd? It's it's wicked and it requires a totally different skill set than people know me for and have ever seen me do anything like. And of course, it's wicked. That's the most respectful thing you have to do. It has to be earned, period. And I think that's kind of I think it was the opposite. I think it was it can work against me. You know, in certain in certain ways, because, you know, when when you have this caricaturized persona that's out there and people know you very well as this one thing, it's like, how, you know, is this person going to be able to erase that and disappear into a character that we need them to offer themselves to this greater story?

You know, and it's not that it's not about them. This isn't about me. So that's what I love. And I missed so much about acting, though, is because with music, I feel like I have so much of my own stuff intertwined, like my own pain, my own stories, my own. It's very self aggrandizing and very self whatever. And I feel like with acting, you get to use those pieces of yourself while honoring something way bigger than you and find new homes for these traumas and these things and these pieces of yourself that, you know, but also it's not about you. It's about giving to a character that you get to love and to know. And it's a nice that's a really beautiful. I can't even explain it. Extraordinary experience. It's like the best thing. It's such a it's such a gift and a cool thing. I'm so grateful I got to do this.

[30:51] Quincy Brown: OK, I want to hear all about the movie audition. But before we get into it, can you just paint a picture you see with it on Broadway that first time? What did Ariana Grande as a Wicked fan look like? What bootlegs were you watching? Who were the ladies you were into?

[31:03] Ariana Grande: Oh my gosh. When I was I mean, like at that age, I was I had like my curly brown hair and a little headband in. I went with my family. And I just was I adored them. I like studied the cast. I just I completely adored them. I went home and I googled them all. And I was such a fan. I remember I had a little iPod and I deleted everything else on the iPod except Wicked. I was like, I don't need to hear anything else ever again.

[31:37] Quincy Brown: That was me. iPods held like six songs at that point.

[31:40] Ariana Grande: Yeah, even if they held more, it was not what I wanted.

[31:44] Quincy Brown: And I imagine you saw it multiple times after seeing it that first time.

[31:47] Ariana Grande: I did. I was very lucky. My mom definitely spoiled me and I got to go see it a few times. So that was really cool. But I went early. Like I went when it was the original Broadway cast and I didn't see it again for many years. So that was my it's so I'm like so lucky. It's such a crazy experience.

[32:06] Quincy Brown: OK, so now take us inside the movie audition. When was the first time the prospect of auditioning came across your desk?

[32:16] Ariana Grande: Okay, so the prospect of auditioning came across my desk. Um, actually, way before they had even attached John, which is crazy. And it was just a murmuring of a something.

[32:37] Quincy Brown: Pre pandemic?

[32:38] Ariana Grande: Yeah, pre pandemic. And I remember I was on the Sweetener tour. And I said to my team, I said, if this is happening now, you we have to figure it out. We got to pull the plug on this tour. I'm going home. I'm getting voice lessons. I'm getting an acting lessons. And I'm going to turn this shit out. I need to know you need to hear me from me right now. If this is happening now, I'm going home and I'm training. I'm getting ready. This is all I want. And I'm going it's done. And this doesn't matter. We'll figure it out. And my team was like, well, that's insane. No. And I was like, well, yeah. And they were like, okay. So it was at that point, was it for Glinda or Elphaba?

[33:12] Ariana Grande: I had an inkling in my heart always that it was going to be Glinda. Um, but I was hearing really mixed things from people who were like, oh, they want you to maybe read for both or whatever. And I was like, well, I guess that's because they don't know my, what my voice is maybe can do. And maybe they like think vocally, I might be better suited for Elphaba, but that's the fun. And that's like what I think. I think I secretly knew that I could, you know, was only meant for Glinda. Um, but, and that's, you know, for a few, like different reasons we can talk about later, but I just kind of knew that that was what it was. Um, but either way I was going to be open to the conversation. And I basically was just like, hello, let's talk, whatever it is.

And I floated the idea of a few times, um, and nothing, there was nothing. It was just like, okay, we think this is coming up. And I was like, when? And then they said in the next couple of years. So that was when I kind of became very alert and very, uh, aware. And I, that was like kind of around the time that I know in the middle of the pandemic, I kind of started working with Nancy Banks, my acting coach. Um, but it was just on random stuff, just on like monologues and plays and whatever, just because we wanted to, to start using that muscle, using the muscle and like playing around. And, um, then I finally got wind of, okay, it's happening for real, uh, in 2021.

[35:01] Ariana Grande: No, that's not true. Oh no, I don't remember. Wait, my audition. No, cause my first audition was August 13th, 2021.

[35:08] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[35:09] Ariana Grande: 2021. Your first real audition.

[35:12] Ariana Grande: Yes. My first real audition was August 13th, 2021.

[35:15] Quincy Brown: Okay.

[35:16] Ariana Grande: And, um, I, yeah, but before that, when I, when I heard that they were going to start seeing people, I went just straight into local and acting lessons every day. This is when I was filming the voice and I was, I would basically start my day with my lessons and then I'd go shoot the show. And, um.

[35:37] Kevin Bianchi: And at that time, what in your head is like, okay, I need to work on this. If I'm going to be going in for Wicked.

[35:43] Ariana Grande: I wanted to just basically, um, strengthen and change my kind of like vocal muscles and how they are, because I do have a high range, but it's a very different thing, you know, than what's required of, of, of Glinda. So I really wanted to train so that I could sound as authentically operatic as possible and, um, really use those muscles. Because it's been a long time, um, and, um, of singing one certain way. And your vocal cords are just like any other muscle in the body. They, they get used to a certain thing.

[36:19] Kevin Bianchi: Right.

[36:22] Ariana Grande: Yeah. So I had to kind of dig in and really, I wanted to do it every day to train them to behave and so that it was natural and that it was healthy and it sounded really full and warm and how it's supposed to for Glinda. Um, cause I had been singing one specific way for such a long time. Um, but yeah, I sort of just began really kind of preparing and even just like reading through the Broadway script a whole bunch and, um, oh my God, sorry. Um, he might need to come back in, but I'll give it one more second before he tells me what he needs.

[37:02] Quincy Brown: Yes, I began that process and, um, oh my God.

[37:03] Ariana Grande: Okay. And so you're doing all of this.

[37:04] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[37:05] Ariana Grande: No, tell me, tell me, tell me.

[37:07] Quincy Brown: I said, so you're doing all of this before there's even like a date on the books to audition. You're just prepping so that you're ready.

[37:13] Ariana Grande: Yeah. I just wanted my muscles and my tools to know what they're doing and be ready to do anything. Like I had a feeling they were going to make me sing for both roles, even though they weren't actually considering me for both roles. I had a feeling they were going to have me sing both. And they did. They had me sing for, they had me sing in my first audition. No one mourns popular wisdom, nigh undefined gravity.

[37:33] Kevin Bianchi: Wow.

[37:34] Ariana Grande: So that was a really fun first audition. But I came in and I had like my pink thermos and I had my pink thing and it was very obvious what I was campaigning for. I was like, I'm sure, sure. Whatever you want. You're sure you want to hear this one. Whatever you want and more, whatever you need. I'll bring coffees, whatever you think. But like, no, I, I, we know I'm here for one thing specifically.

[37:56] Quincy Brown: Hold on. I'm going to let Myron back in and I'll be right back.

[37:59] Ariana Grande: Okay.

[38:00] Quincy Brown: Oh no, nevermind. He completely doesn't want to come in.

[38:03] Ariana Grande: Ariana, I do have to say.

[38:04] Quincy Brown: Sorry.

[38:05] Ariana Grande: A majority of the Glindas we have on this show have this same chaotic energy.

[38:11] Quincy Brown: Why is this in my chest?

[38:14] Ariana Grande: Oh my God.

[38:15] Quincy Brown: There is something, there really is something baked into these roles though.

[38:19] Ariana Grande: There really is. There's something like genetics that comes to play.

[38:23] Quincy Brown: Yeah. I'm honored to hear.

[38:24] Ariana Grande: Okay. So that first audition, tell us more about exactly what you did. Did you read any scenes?

[38:31] Ariana Grande: No. So the first one was just singing and I was 45 minutes early for everything. For every single time they saw me, I was 45 minutes early. And I remember like, I was blasting. I was with my assistant and I was with my manager, my day-to-day manager, Ray and my assistant, Diane. We are driving around in Burbank, just like circling and like blasting one short day. And you can ask them like, why like that? But that was the one that we were like, repeat on one short day. And, um, and, and, and John was like outside and he was like, I didn't realize that he was outside, but he told me later on that like, she heard and saw me circling every time forever. Like he was like, she's crazy.

[39:26] Kevin Bianchi: And so early.

[39:28] Ariana Grande: Why is it so early? And why was it one short day? Because that was the song. That is the song.

[39:35] Kevin Bianchi: Which I will say in the movie that like opening choral as the train is coming into the Emerald City made me teary.

[39:43] Ariana Grande: Yeah. Me too. The first time we didn't, that wasn't attached to it until recent. That wasn't like, that was, we didn't get to hear that done until just now because the last things that they did were the like orchestrations and the, the choruses and the, that kind of thing. So that was a surprise for Cynthia and I too. We were like, oh my God.

[40:04] Kevin Bianchi: It's a lot.

[40:05] Ariana Grande: Yeah, really beautiful. But yeah, we're blasting one short day. So then after that first audition, what was the call that was like, hey, so like, we've, we've made the distinction. She's clearly a Glinda. Then are you coming back in and just focusing on a Glinda after that or what?

[40:20] Ariana Grande: Even going in that day, I have to be super clear. I said, like I said, I will sing whatever they want, but I'm going in for Glinda. Like I told them, I was like, this is who I am. I do. I will sing both for fun. If they want that, like, I don't care what it is. Of course. I got it. I was a girl, so I better figure it out. No, but, um, um, no, but I, it was clear from the start, but then the callback was singing again and scenes, um, from the first and second film, uh, the second audition had, thank goodness. And it had some scenes in it from the Broadway show, nothing from the, from the movie script. And, um, and then my third time was chemistry read. I think I was there for three and a half hours.

I, I read with two different actresses that were amazing. And, um, it was just a long exhausting, but like floaty out of body, buzzy, so much adrenaline experience. And I, I, I had cried so much. My lashes were kind of like erect. And John was like, okay. Um, like, we really appreciate your time. Like, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so, so, so much. I think you can like, you know, go to the car and, and, and collect to yourself and have a beautiful rest of your day. Like, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. And I was like, okay, bye everyone. And I left my lashes on the mirror. I was like, well, bye. That's all folks. Officially, I was officially left everything else I had to give in this room.

So blood, sweat, and lashes. So don't forget about it. I'm putting my lashes on the thing. Don't forget me. No, but it was, um, yeah, it was, it was really special and beautiful. And I remember even in the, like the very first audition, I just felt such a really beautiful connection with everyone, especially John.

[41:03] Kevin Bianchi: And are you gaining more confidence as each audition continues or are you still living in the state of anxiety?

[41:28] Ariana Grande: I think I felt a lot of anticipatory excitement and positive anxiousness, but I never felt afraid. I felt grateful and excited and inspired and prepared. But John made me feel so comfortable. And the thing that I was really excited by and grateful for, um, and that surprised me in a big way was, um, he loved the little risky choices that I was making that were not to the Bible that were like, not, not what, like, I kind of like grew up hearing and listening to. And, um, he loved it. And he was like, I love that. That's fun. That's really cool. Let's like, keep playing. I love when you play. So that was really exciting to me because I was like, oh, this is in the hands of someone who is just here to like catch butterflies.

He's inspired and he knows, he knows every single inch of it. He loves every single inch of it. But that is what's so beautiful is that he is inspiring play and truth and listening and reacting, which is basically the whole point of everything. But he's not here to, to bring the stage show to the screen. He's here to kind of maximize how we're telling this story and get to know these women in a new way.

[43:51] Kevin Bianchi: Right. He's not looking for impressions.

[43:53] Ariana Grande: No, it was really, it felt really beautiful that immediately he was like, keep playing. This is so fun. And I was like, oh my goodness, I feel safe and positive. And just this, um, like thoughtful, amazing human being is in charge. And I love knowing that as a fan, even if I don't get this part, I love his attitude towards this. It's right. And it's, and it shows how much he loves and cares about it. So that was, I felt a really immediate connection with him. And, um, yeah, I remember Tiffany Little from, um, Telsey casting was my Elphaba during Popular and she had her mask, she had a mask on cause it was like, there was a random COVID wave in LA and, uh, and they had to postpone the Fiero auditions because all of the Fieros had COVID. And so she was wearing a mask and I'm, it was just the sweetest thing cause I could, her eyes were smiling and I loved knowing that she was giggling and it was really sweet. I'll never forget that.

[45:02] Kevin Bianchi: Well, so that's interesting growing up as a fan of the show. How do you reconcile now having to audition for the part? How much of, okay, I'm going to emulate what I know to be this character, or I'm going to bring my own unique take to it.

[45:12] Ariana Grande: Well, I think that's the thing is that being a fan of something and then living it and, um, kind of taking it on in this insanely personal, intimate way are two completely different things. And I wanted to make that, that differentiation immediately. I was like, okay, I'm not going to put, you know, watch or listen to, uh, you know, anything right now. I want to basically just get to know this girl and read the script a million times with, with Nancy and ask all these questions and kind of find my Glinda while also finding certain physicalities and familiarities to honor what we all have known and loved for so many years, because there is a specific Glinda type thing, you know, that is written.

This role was written so beautifully and iconically and brilliantly by Kristen and Winnie. You know, that was a very collaborative thing. A lot of the most iconic lines in the stage show were ad-libs by Kristen. So it's, it, for me, it was about finding that balance because it has to be truthful. It can't be an impersonation because that's very easy to do. And, um, you know, lines that have, I've heard and I've known for 20 years take on a very new meaning when you break them down and look at them differently, you know?

[46:40] Kevin Bianchi: Especially given your like personal closeness to the source material, just like as a person with a friendship with another person, is there, um, guidance that came from Kristen? Was she very, was she more like, she let you do your own thing? When did you tell her you were going in for it?

[46:56] Ariana Grande: Yeah. Oh my God. Okay. So we had talked about it for years and years and years. And, um, but not, but me finally confessing to her that I wanted to go in for Glinda was like a whole different thing. And I finally confessed to her because I sing Wizard and I on the, the anniversary special. So I think she assumed, you know, like, okay, yeah, let's do that. Let's totally do that. Um, but I finally, I confessed to her. I said, Hey, like, I think they're doing this now. And I think that I want to go Glinda. And she went into the bathroom and like closed the door and started crying. And she was just like, this, it was the sweetest thing in the world. Oh my God. It makes me emotional. But it was so cute.

And she was just like, she was just like, Oh my God. Like I was hoping this would happen. Like, I love you. And I, and I trust you with it, baby girl. She was like, just do your thing. She was like, you are so funny and you have great instincts. And no one knows that you're going to back door. Um, she said, and I was just like, okay, so it, she was, yeah, she had a very positive, a positive reaction, thankfully. And she was very supportive, but I didn't send her things. I didn't, I didn't go over the material with her. I, I, I kind of just wanted to keep to myself. I kept to myself so much from my family, from Kristen, from everyone, from my, I, like, I didn't want to talk about it. I just didn't want to talk about it at all.

And, um, and we, she would check in on me and tell me things she was hearing. And it was very sweet and very supportive. But I, I think she still hasn't, um, heard or seen Mike Linda yet. So I'm excited. I think, um, I hope she feels how much this film is a love letter to her and Adina, while also we wanted to also do our own Elphaba and Glinda for this as well. And I hope that I think it'll make, I think it might make her really happy.

[49:16] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, I think so. What's interesting about Glinda in the movie is she has all of the like stage Glinda isms, the classic lines that you would want from Glinda, but then they also wrote a lot of new ones for you that you put your own spin on that I think are going to be canon.

[49:32] Ariana Grande: Thank you. I, I'm, I'm so grateful to hear you say that. Cause I ad-libbed a lot of them and I'm surprised that they made them into the movie. I was really, I was really shocked that they made them in, but that's what I'm saying about John. He was just like, play, play, play. And he trusted us so implicitly. So I played and then I was like, Oh my God, they made a way. I don't remember. I don't remember saying that and be in the film. That's crazy. I can't believe any of my nonsense.

[49:55] Kevin Bianchi: Is I love air and ad-lib. I don't remember.

[49:57] Ariana Grande: I don't remember. Maybe, probably the ones that I know for sure where, um, I couldn't possibly, this is your moment. I'm coming. Oh my God. And that was just like, he was like, they're selling the movie with that line. It made it into a trailer. That's crazy. I don't know. There was a bunch of surprising, lovely moments like that, that I couldn't believe even made it in. But yeah.

[50:25] Kevin Bianchi: From first audition to that zoom call that we've all seen, how long was that period?

[50:32] Ariana Grande: Um, I can't tell if he just is upset with an animal or if he wants to come in. Um, um, the first audition to getting the call was three months.

[50:43] Kevin Bianchi: It's pretty condensed.

[50:44] Ariana Grande: All things considered. But it felt like 14 years.

[50:48] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[50:48] Ariana Grande: 14 years. When you got the call, you said, I'm going to take such good care of her. What does that mean to you?

[50:57] Ariana Grande: I think what that meant to me was that this was going to have all of me, you know, there wasn't, uh, going to be any other thing in my brain or in my workload. Like I wasn't going to be writing music. I wasn't going to be, um, on as many of my, uh, calls that I'm usually on for my beauty and my fragrance and my other things that I think require more of me than people would assume. But all of that was kind of like, I was like, hi to my team. I love you very much. What I'm going to do is I'm going to be gone. Love you so much. Um, and I, I really tried to give my, my full self to her and, um, just honor her and do the work as best as I could, you know?

[51:51] Kevin Bianchi: Right. As somebody who does have lots going on constantly and lots of different plates spinning at once, was it, what was it like kind of letting other people keep the other plates spinning while you focused on one thing?

[52:08] Ariana Grande: No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. No, I have, I have an incredible team that really, really took care of the other departments, you know, during that time. Um, but you know, I'm a very hands on person, um, with everything that I do, I'm very hands on. So that was very hard for me, but it was a lot easier because I was playing glitter. You know, that's like the idea of that. The idea of that is not an option to me. Like there's no other thing. There's no other time that I would really ever do that.

[52:37] Kevin Bianchi: But that far back from things.

[52:43] Ariana Grande: Yeah. I had like a separate phone for the first few months. Like I had a pink phone with like, you know, it was like, I was gone. I was gone. I, I, I just wanted to fully be there and be as present as humanly possible. And, you know, know everything I needed to know, read every book, read everything, do all the things and give myself over entirely. I didn't write music. I didn't, I did one feature at the very beginning. And then that was kind of it.

[53:12] Kevin Bianchi: I mean, I think in watching from an outside perspective, you have done such a beautiful job at balancing Ariana Grande TM duties and Ariana Grande Glinda duties. And I think that's like only goes to show how much you care about this project in particular. It rings true and is very clear that you are devoting a large amount of your time and energy to making sure that this project is done correctly.

[53:38] Ariana Grande: Thank you. That means a lot, especially coming from you too. But yeah, it's, it's when something once in a lifetime like this happens, like every single second counts, you know?

[53:58] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[53:58] Ariana Grande: And it's like, yeah, it deserves all of us and the best of us.

[54:05] Kevin Bianchi: What were you most scared about? You get the offer, you're so happy and excited. Now I have to do it. Oh my God, wait, I hope it goes well. Then what is the anxiety after you're over the excitement? What is keeping you up at night?

[54:19] Ariana Grande: Like, oh my God. I think, um, you know, I, I felt, um, a little bit of the, um, initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver or why I would be wrong or whatever, you know, I think of course, like any human being caring something about something they care so much about like that, you know, this, it's been a great secret, you know, they didn't get to see any auditions or know anything. So, you know, going off of side to side, I probably would have said the same thing. I probably would have said, why the fuck? Kill me. I've waited 20 years for this. Kill me. I've waited. Yeah. You know, like I was, I would have said that as a, as a fan from the outside, knowing of only seven rings, probably I'd say, well, that's bullshit.

So, you know, I, I get it, but I think that initially in the beginning, I was like, okay, I'm going to try to turn that off and just do the work, keep my blinders on and, and, and, and focus and, and, and do my, do the best I can. Um, but I think that was an initial, like a little bit of a gulp moment.

[55:32] Kevin Bianchi: Um, but I tried not to let it derail me.

[55:36] Quincy Brown: I was going to say, like, do you feel a satisfaction in like surprising people this way?

[55:41] Ariana Grande: I think I just feel like a tremendous gratitude. You know, I think like to see the Wicked fans, um, like embrace at all, you know, it's just like really, it's really special. It's really, yeah, that, that's the feeling I can be just gratitude really.

[56:05] Kevin Bianchi: Was there something that you like, couldn't wait for, like something that you were like, I can't wait to do this with my Galinda?

[56:12] Ariana Grande: I mean, I love improv and I love playing. So there were a lot of, there was so much space to try and play and hopefully make Cynthia break and laugh or Michelle or so, you know, I, I love that. I love making people laugh and I was just so excited because, um, it's my favorite thing. Genuinely. I think making people laugh is mine. If I had to put everything on it, whatever it would be my favorite. So I think that was the thing I was most excited for, because Glinda, there's so much room for play and you can deliver the same line, you know, really heartfully as some of these lines are designed to do both. And that's what I think the beauty of Glinda is, is because some of the things she's saying are really hilarious to someone else, but she means them in like the most beautiful way.

And that's my, that's my favorite thing about her. It's like, you don't have to play the joke because what she's actually feeling is funny to begin with. And the fact that her heart, you know, you know, it's just, it's kind of, that is the joke. So there's so many different ways. So I think playing and, um, John just encouraging, encouraging it was something I was really excited for, because I think...

[57:29] Kevin Bianchi: And we were saying after seeing the movie, your Glinda is so matter of fact, like all the funny almost goes over your head, which then makes it more funny for the audience.

[57:38] Ariana Grande: Thank you.

[57:39] Kevin Bianchi: Thank you.

[57:40] Quincy Brown: So tell us about the first time you and Cynthia were in a room together after having gotten the roles.

[57:45] Ariana Grande: Well, we FaceTimed for the first time, like 15 minutes before the announcement went out. I'm not kidding. We had no idea. No, not 15 minutes. It was like four hours. Okay. And we had sent each other flowers and we had like, but we hadn't been able to connect yet because we were both busy doing stuff. And we were like, Oh my God, this is happening now. It's happening now. So we met, we met over FaceTime and I immediately loved her obviously, of course. And then that was the first time you did not chemistry read with her.

[58:23] Ariana Grande: No, we both, we both read with, Oh my gosh, holy shit. We're, and then we met for the first time in person at John's house. He had a welcome dinner and, uh,

[58:36] Kevin Bianchi: Was it nerve wracking that you hadn't chemistry read with her and we're now going into this?

[58:40] Ariana Grande: No, I don't know why. I think I just, I know of her greatness, of course. And I know that she's the best, you know, most formidable actress and singer that there is. So that part was easy, you know? And, um, I felt a kindness from her the first time we connected and I knew we'd be okay. And also we had a really real conversation at the very beginning. Um, just kind of about what we're not going to do and how we're not going to be and what we're not going to allow.

[59:13] Kevin Bianchi: And you guys are signed up for this two plus year journey now.

[59:17] Ariana Grande: Oh, it's already been, it's already been three, hasn't it?

[59:21] Kevin Bianchi: Right.

[59:21] Ariana Grande: And now you have two more years.

[59:22] Kevin Bianchi: Right, exactly. Right, right. And I think like, even aside from like the, the time commitment, it just, it's just deserving of, of the best of us. And that requires real honesty and real trust. This whole movie is not going to work. You can spend as much money as you want on, on flying monkeys in the air and, and, you know, talking brilliant goats, which we'll get to that. We'll get to that later. We'll need a full hour, second episode. But, but, you know, it really has to, it really falls on Elphaba and Glinda to, to take care of each other. And I think that that is, I think that's really palpable when you see it. Um, and I, I hope so, you know, I think it, us taking care of each other and forming, um, a real true friendship, um, and being honest with each other about everything always at all times, you know, being there for each other when we're in a silly mood, when someone needs like, you know, like all of it, leaving space for everything and getting to know each other in that way where like, I can just look at her and I know, and I know what she's thinking and she can just look at me and she knows exactly what, you know, and helping each other too.

It's like, we immediately formed that because without that, nothing else works. Nothing else matters and works. I've never done this, but it's really nice and satisfying. I'm like doing this. I've been loving it. It's because I'm talking about Cynthia and I'm doing nails because I'm talking about sin. No, but that was an immediate commitment. You know, we had that conversation. We were like, Hey, let's do this for real.

[1:01:04] Kevin Bianchi: Well, and it's like such a, I mean, relatively like such a simple decision to make like, Hey, you and me are signed up for this like five year long thing together. We need to choose now to make this a good experience.

[1:01:21] Ariana Grande: Yeah. But it's, it's also, it's also really hard work though, because to commit to hold yourself to that, right?

[1:01:28] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[1:01:28] Ariana Grande: Because we need to, to be there for each other and there's not a battle that she has to fight alone or that I have to fight alone. You know, there are, there are many, you know, little challenges along the way and being there for each other and having each other, um, through it all the highs and lows and mitts and ups and downs and everything in between was, was truly, was truly a magnificent gift. There's nothing we can't talk about and didn't.

[1:01:53] Kevin Bianchi: Right.

[1:01:58] Ariana Grande: It's nice too, because, you know, we hear a lot of the women who do the show on Broadway talk about like the green girl sisterhood that it's like, whenever a new alphabet gets cast, it's always like messages or whatever from all the previous, but like you two are the only two in the world who know what it's like to play these characters on film for 12 hour days for months on end.

[1:02:20] Kevin Bianchi: And you were doing it in such a vacuum.

[1:02:22] Ariana Grande: Right.

[1:02:22] Kevin Bianchi: So you, it's like the, the importance of that support system is, it makes me very happy that you guys had that in each other.

[1:02:30] Ariana Grande: Me too. It's um, it's really beautiful. It really is. And it reads, it's so palpable.

[1:02:39] Kevin Bianchi: Thank you.

[1:02:40] Ariana Grande: So what was something as you're shooting the movie, what was something that you learned about Glinda that was surprising to you?

[1:02:45] Ariana Grande: I mean, I think I learned this in the preparation leading up to leading up to, I'll try to think about something new that I learned during filming because things really took on a whole new life once you actually get there and are filming. But I think the thing that I learned in digging into her in this way of preparing, whatever was, um, like why I love her and feel so connected to her. Cause obviously it's like the comedy in the high notes and I love all of those things. But I think also, um, there's a very specific thing about kind of her, um, relationship to the audience and kind of that love that they give her and that validation that they give her and her kind of hoping for the good in them and kind of like trying to spoon feed them and no one warns the wicked.

She's trying to spoon feed them this opportunity. It's just like, Hey, wait, hold on. Just can't wait just for one second. Can't you just consider that this happened to her? And, um, you know, there's this, there's this tight rope that she walks and there's grief and loss and tragedy that she has to stomach while also performing for these people that she feels need her while she's also needing so much. And, and that is like a specific thing. It's a specific thing. You know that.

[1:04:27] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[1:04:27] Ariana Grande: I think Kevin had said when the casting came out, it is really inspired casting because in a lot of ways you are our culture's modern day, Glinda. And so it's like really cool to see the meta narratives.

[1:04:41] Ariana Grande: Oh my God. You are a believer. That's so nice.

[1:04:44] Kevin Bianchi: Oh yeah. I'm never a doubt in my mind.

[1:04:49] Ariana Grande: I'm kidding. I'm kidding. No, but I think, I think what became like so clear to me when I was actually digging into the material was, was, was that, and you know, just kind of, I was like, Oh wow. I feel like this song. Like, I feel like, thank goodness was like written for me. Like I feel like that was like a moment that I have lived in real life. And I think that I was kind of surprised by the things that I thought made me feel so connected to her being like third and fourth on the list, you know?

[1:05:22] Kevin Bianchi: That's yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1:05:23] Ariana Grande: It was a healing thing to get to know her and spend time with her.

[1:05:29] Kevin Bianchi: Can we talk about popular?

[1:05:30] Ariana Grande: Please.

[1:05:31] Kevin Bianchi: Yes. Oh my God. It is one insane on screen. How much of that was blocked and choreographed and how much of that is you on set in the room playing and figuring it out as you go?

[1:05:44] Ariana Grande: So a lot of, all of it was blocked and choreographed. Okay. Some pieces were blocked and choreographed on day one. Like my very first day was popular in rehearsals with Chris and Leah and Will and Comfort. But it was funny because I was so grateful because Chris was so collaborative and like a lot of the bits didn't have as many like jokes. Like it was highly choreographed and it was, but we got to make it galindified and it was very like collaborative and fun and silly. Like, I'll never forget when we found the bit where I'm going to like spin the ball and it falls off my finger and I am, I'm sure that it's still there. And like, you know, in the beginning they were like, we have to teach you how to do that.

So it stays in your finger. I was like, no, you don't. I was like, you can't teach me. No, no, no, no, no, no. That's the joke. We have to do the joke. That's the joke. Right, right. And then like throw the wand and don't let me catch it. You know, like that's the bit, you know, we had so much time to work on that choreography and I have so many long videos on my phone of us just doing it in the rehearsal space fully through, full out. Me and Cynthia running around, you know, when you shoot it, it's like chunk per chunk, like little section by section. But we were rehearsing it in full most of the time. And the only section that was separate was the hallway, because that was a random decision last minute, a day before we filmed, a day before we started filming, because we weren't sure if we were going to use the classic ending of Popular or if we were going to use the version with the modulations and with the key change.

[1:07:31] Kevin Bianchi: Which Kevin died when that happened.

[1:07:33] Ariana Grande: I squealed.

[1:07:37] Kevin Bianchi: Oh my God, it's so good.

[1:07:39] Ariana Grande: It's so good. It makes me so happy. But we weren't decided. Like we didn't know if it was right or if it was too much. We didn't know until like two days before, Alice and John were like looking at the shiz hallway and they were like, this hallway is so beautiful. Like, what do we do? Like, how can we utilize this set? It's insane. Ariana, go spin. And Chris Scott was like, wait a minute, I have an idea. And they put on the extended outro and he just kind of did this like down the hallway and whatever, blah, blah, blah. And I, as a joke, I as a joke one day in rehearsal did like a kick and he was like, what is that? And I was like, I don't know. And he was like, you're doing that. I'm finding a place for that. So that's how that kind of came along. It was two days before and I had just recovered from COVID and I still had a mask on and he was teaching me the choreography in the hallway. And then we decided we went for it. We're doing it.

[1:08:38] Kevin Bianchi: So that was not even planned.

[1:08:45] Ariana Grande: Even there's a melody shift in Popular that I can't recreate right now. But do you know what I'm talking about? There's like a slight melody shift in the verse or chorus of the song that you do.

[1:08:56] Kevin Bianchi: I don't know. I'm so, I don't remember.

[1:09:01] Ariana Grande: You're like in your version. Kim, do you remember? Is it like an ad libby thing or is it like an alt?

[1:09:05] Kevin Bianchi: It's like an alt note that happens twice. So it must be like on a verse or chorus or something.

[1:09:12] Ariana Grande: Yes, that