‘Scariest Moment Of My Life’: Ariana Grande Is One Of The Biggest Celebs On The Planet, But Recalled How Nervous She Was Asking SNL’s Lorne Michaels For A Favor

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As a cinephile who has spent countless hours watching interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, I can truly relate to Ariana Grande’s nerve-wracking encounter with Lorne Michaels. I remember my own time when I called Steven Spielberg to ask for a favor – it was the scariest moment of my life too! (I think he thought I was pranking him when I asked if I could borrow his DeLorean.)

Ariana Grande is undeniably among the most recognized figures globally. She’s churned out popular tunes, led grand concerts, and earned her fair share of acting roles. Just recently, she left audiences spellbound with her portrayal of Glinda in the blockbuster movie Wicked scheduled for 2024. However, it’s worth noting that even she can feel star-struck when confronted by influential figures in the industry. Grande reminisced about this when she had to ask Lorne Michaels, of Saturday Night Live fame, for a favor.

I had the privilege of appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon recently, and during our conversation, we delved into various topics, one of which was my latest project – the forthcoming Wicked sequel. In a segment from the YouTube video, Ariana Grande and Fallon spoke about Bowen Yang, who plays Pfannee, one of Glinda’s companions in the film. Initially, there were doubts about Yang’s participation due to his Saturday Night Live obligations. However, I stepped up and offered to reach out to the late-night comedy showrunner to advocate for Yang’s inclusion in the project.

In a moment that left me shaking, I found myself deciding to reach out to Lorne. To be honest, it seemed irrational at the time, but looking back, it was the most nerve-wracking instance in my life. As I dialed his number, the realization struck me like a ton of bricks – I had nothing substantial to share, and I couldn’t fathom why he would even give me the time of day. Does that resonate with you? It was as if every word I might have said was stuck in my throat, leaving me speechless and questioning my worthiness to speak.

The actress from Zoolander 2 additionally disclosed that she’s unsure if she had any influence on the casting of the Nora From Queens actor in the Wicked production. Similarly, the singer of “7 Rings” implied that producer Marc Platt, director Jon M. Chu, and Universal Studios were more likely responsible for his clearance to join the cast. However, the musician expressed satisfaction with how things turned out.

I love Ariana Grande’s enthusiasm and earnest spirit in regard to securing the Fire Island alum and then realizing how underprepared she felt. I’ve put myself into such positions and, when they’re actually happening, they can be quite surreal. My status is quite different from Grande’s, yet I believe her when she says that it was the “scariest moment” of her life. After all, Lorne Michaels himself is a Hollywood institution and has guided some of the most iconic actors during their early days.

Later on, the artist known for her hit song “Side to Side” revealed additional details about their chat with the longtime producer of Saturday Night Live. As you might guess, it seemed just as nerve-racking as one would expect.

Initially, I said something along the lines of, “Hey, Lorne! How are you?” And he replied, “Hello, Ariana. What can I do for you?” At that point, I understood that perhaps I wasn’t prepared enough to make things happen. So, I exclaimed, “Oh, not good!

More on Bowen Yang

Balancing the demanding schedules of both Wicked and Saturday Night Live for Bowen Yang seems insane, but he wasn’t alone in navigating an incredibly tight deadline.

In my mind, she stepped back – both literally and figuratively – upon hearing Lorne Michaels’ voice on the other line. The Grammy-winning artist had pleaded with him to include Bowen Yang in the mix. I’m grateful that whoever conveyed the message succeeded. Not only did it work out, but Yang excelled in every scene he was in. To add to this, Yang himself has disclosed that Michaels made just one request – that he never miss an episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL).

Here are some behind-the-scenes details, plus Jon M. Chu’s intriguing hints about the sequel, have me really looking forward to what’s next! We’ll need to be patient until the upcoming sequel (planned for 2025) to find out how this new version of the popular musical wraps up. For now, let me just offer my congratulations to Ariana Grande for stepping up and directly contacting one of Hollywood’s most influential figures on behalf of a friend and coworker.

Wicked is playing in theaters now. If you’d like to catch Bowen Yang on the current season of Saturday Night Live, tune into NBC on the titular night at 11:30 PM EST. Those episodes, along with Ariana Grande’s latest hosting spot, can be streamed with a Peacock subscription.

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2024-12-24 03:37