Ariana Grande reveals Wicked shoot is now ‘halfway’ done while reflecting on ‘life changing’ experience on set

Ariana Grande is giving a rare update on the making of the highly-anticipated two-part film adaption of Wicked on social media.

On Monday, the pop star, who’s playing Glinda Upland (aka Good Witch Of The South), took to her Instagram page and revealed that filming is already ‘halfway’ done alongside a photo of herself standing beneath a perfectly arched rainbow.

‘Savoring every millisecond left with my Glinda (although she’ll be with me irrevocably, forever). she shows me so many new things every day,’ Grande, 29, wrote with obvious excitement behind her words.

‘I am so grateful, i don’t know what to do or say… to be here in Oz where everyday is a life changing one… to be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed… to feel so much love around me, to begin each day before the sun is up and to end after it sets…’ she added, before heaping praise on her co-star Cynthia Erivo, who’s playing Elphaba Thropp (aka Wicked Witch of the West) and director John M. Chu, 43.

She continued, ‘to hold my brilliant twin flame / sister Cynthia [Erivo]’s beautiful, green hands every day… to work in the safest, most beautiful and loving, biggest-yet-most-intimate/tiny-feeling spaces… to be lead by thee most thoughtful, brilliant, compassionate and warmest possible director on this planet, my other Ozian best friend ever Jon… to be transforming and healing parts of me that i never knew needed it. or maybe did.’

Still over the moon, or the rainbow, about scoring the role of Galinda in Wicked, Grande would then apologize ‘for this most cancerian, rambly post. words don’t suffice but i suppose i just wanted to (attempt to) share a little.’

The singer and actress, who began her music career at age 15 in the 2008 Broadway musical 13, confessed she doesn’t want the experience ‘to end’.  

‘so while i am still here, present, now, i just wanted to….exclaim my tremendous gratitution ! and allow my heart to overflow. i hope this isn’t all a dream because as present as i am attempting to be, it sure does feel like one,’ she wrote.

The Thank U, Next star ended the post by sharing gratitude for the people she’s been working with since the shoot started on December 9, 2022.

‘happy halfway to this most beautiful crew. my fellow Ozians. my heart will be stuck here forever.

Erivo, 36, shared her thoughts in the comments section, writing, ‘My sweet sweet sister. I love you so so much, this time has been so transformative, I can not imagine my life without you in it!! More beautiful days in Oz ahead, and more in our lives !!! Stuck with me!’ along with three green heart emojis.

Back in late April 2022, Chu, who’s working from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz, went public to announce the adaptation will be filmed in two parts. 

‘As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of ‘Wicked’ into a single film without doing some real damage to it,’ he began. ‘As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of ‘Wicked’ as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.’

The film is expected to continue shooting until at least July. 

Somewhere over the rainbow: For her Wicked update, the pop star, who’s playing Glinda Upland (aka Good Witch Of The South), shared a photo of herself standing beneath a perfectly arched rainbow

High praise: The two-time Grammy Award-winner gushed about her experience shooting Wicked, calling it ‘life changing’ and ‘transforming’ to the point that it has been ‘healing’

Sneak peek: Just days ago, Grande and co-star Cynthia Erivo, playing Elphaba Thropp (aka Wicked Witch of the West), shared behind-the-scenes snaps from their roles as Glinda and Elphaba in the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked

Glowing cast: Along with Grande and Erivo, the cast of Wicked also includes Jonathan Bailey (pictured), Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater and Jeff Goldblum, among others, while being directed by Jon M. Chu

Just days ago, Grande and Erivo shared behind-the-scenes snaps from their roles as Glinda and Elphaba on social media.

Grande captioned the snaps, ‘up to (no) good’ and added bubbles and a broom emoji. 

In the first photo, the women sit in the back of a car. Grande is dressed in an elegant pink polka dot gown and long white gloves with her blonde hair in her trademark high ponytail. She wears a stunning pair of Mikimoto dangling pearl earrings.

 Erivo is dressed in a short plaid dress with tall black boots and big hoop earrings as the two women look at each other.

The carousel of snaps also features some behind-the-scenes shots from the set of Wicked, including one shot of two pairs of feet in which Grande tagged director Jon M. Chu and the Wicked Movie account. 

Alongside with Grande and Erivo, Wicked also stars Bronwyn James, Marissa Bode, Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Keala Settle, Aaron Teoh, Colin Michael Carmichael and Michelle Yeoh as the Shiz University headmistress Madame Morrible. 

Wicked: Part One is scheduled to premiere in theaters in the U.S. on November 27, 2024.

And then, Wicked: Part Two will drop the following year on Christmas, December 25, 2025.

Ladies united: The two stars showed solidarity by holding hands in their social media post

Long shoot: The film began shooting early this year and is expected to wrap in July

Coming: Wicked: Part One is scheduled to premiere in theaters in the U.S. on November 27, 2024; Wicked: Part Two will drop the following year on Christmas, December 25, 2025