Ariana Grande: From Nickelodeon Star To Wicked

As I delve deeper into the captivating journey of Ariana Grande, it’s simply mind-blowing to witness the transformation from a Nickelodeon starlet to a multi-talented powerhouse. Her life story is nothing short of extraordinary, a testament to her relentless pursuit of dreams and unwavering determination.

When Ariana Grande first appeared on Nickelodeon in 2010 as Cat Valentine in “Victorious,” it was hard to imagine her rising to global stardom so quickly. As Tori Vega’s bubbly, airheaded best friend, Grande adds a touch of humor to the teen sitcom. Whether Cat is doling out questionable Christmas beef to classmates or buying Bag O’ Rags from the irresistible Tap It app, she keeps viewers entertained.

Ariana Grande showcased her strong vocal abilities in many “Victorious” moments, yet it wasn’t until 2013, when her single “The Way,” featuring the late Mac Miller, was released, that she truly gained recognition as a pop star. Over the following ten years, she put out numerous popular tracks and won several prestigious music awards, cementing herself as a leading figure in the industry. Despite focusing primarily on her music career after finding success as a recording artist, Grande’s acting career didn’t completely disappear.

Following her farewell as Cat in 2014 when the spinoff “Sam & Cat” concluded, Grande went on to appear in diverse TV and movie projects, including brief appearances. Now, with Grande assuming the role of a lifetime as Glinda in “Wicked,” we’re exploring her acting career, from her days as a Nickelodeon star to becoming a Good Witch.

Victorious

Before securing the role of Cat Valentine, Ariana Grande made only one screen appearance: In 2009, she appeared in Season 2, Episode 2 (“Bad Bad News”) of the musical comedy series “The Battery’s Down,” led by Jake Wilson. Her character was named “Bat Mitzvah Riffer.” Ariana’s career took off when she joined the cast of “Victorious”; after landing a callback at the age of 14, she and her mother relocated to Los Angeles, marking the start of her Hollywood journey.

The show ran for three years, during which time Grande brought some hilariously unforgettable Cat moments to life. For the newcomer, it was a joy to embody an individual who is so unlike herself. Speaking to SBTV at the time, she said: “The thing about playing Cat that I love the most is that she is so different from me that it feels like a little bit of a vacation when I put my red wig on and I get into character. It’s like a relief almost, it’s like a little release, and I get to go into this beautiful, happy world of Cat Valentine.”

10 years after the end of “Victorious”, Grande is reflecting anew on the series following the release of the “Quiet on Set” documentary, which highlights the mature humor present in Dan Schneider’s former Nickelodeon shows. On the “Podcrushed” podcast, she stated that they were informed that the innuendos incorporated into the show were the “cool differentiation”. She later commented, “I think it all happened so fast, and now looking back on some of the clips, I’m like, ‘Wow, really?’

Winx Club

2011 found Ariana Grande juggling two roles – one as a cast member on “Victorious,” and another as a voice actor with Nickelodeon for “Winx Club.” This fantasy series, brought to life by Italian animator Iginio Straffi, is set in a magical realm teeming with mystical beings. Ariana lent her voice to the character Princess Diaspro in 13 episodes of the show, which chronicles a band of fairy warriors as they learn and hone their magic at Alfea College.

In a stark contrast, Princess Diaspro and Cat Valentine, while both unique in their own ways, have distinct personalities. Unlike Cat, who is known for her compassionate nature and eagerness to help her peers, Diaspro primarily focuses on her own concerns. This is evident in her pursuit of rekindling a relationship with her former partner, Sky (Matt Shively), even though he has moved on with another, Bloom (Molly C. Quinn).

During Ariana Grande’s time on “Winx Club”, she collaborated with a star-studded cast, featuring Keke Palmer as Aisha and her fellow “Victorious” actress Elizabeth Gillies as Daphne. Despite the fact that Palmer and Gillies remained on the show until 2015, Grande departed from “Winx Club” in 2013, as a new Nickelodeon project of hers began to take shape.

Sam & Cat

Following the end of “Victorious”, Ariana Grande transitioned to another Nickelodeon sitcom titled “Sam & Cat”. This series was a spinoff from both “Victorious” and “iCarly”, featuring Grande as Cat Valentine and Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett. As these characters, originally from distinct worlds, moved in together, they embarked on various adventures filled with mischief. In 2013, both the show “Sam & Cat” and Grande’s pop music career, debuting with her album “Yours Truly”, commenced. While McCurdy maintained a cheerful demeanor for the cameras, she harbored feelings of jealousy regarding Grande’s career growth and their contrasting upbringings. These feelings were later revealed in McCurdy’s memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died”.

During the show’s broadcast, there were undercurrents of tension, with TMZ suggesting that McCurdy felt resentful because she allegedly earned less than Grande. However, Grande dismissed these claims as a malicious rumor. In a tweet (now deleted), Grande stated, “Jennette and I mutually agreed from the start that we would be treated equally on this show in all aspects, given our equal efforts. The unfounded speculations about our contracts and salary disparities are completely baseless and false.” She further emphasized, “I do not earn more money than my co-star, nor should I. Let’s put these rumors to rest and focus on the principle of equality and fairness instead, as that is what truly matters to me.

“Sam & Cat” was canceled after only one season and 35 episodes.

Swindle

In the year 2013, Ariana Grande teamed up with her fellow Nickelodeon stars Jennette McCurdy, Ciara Bravo, Noah Munck, Chris O’Neal, and Noah Crawford in a TV comedy film called “Swindle”. The movie was based on the children’s book of the same name by Gordon Korman. “Swindle” tells the story of a group of teenagers who come together to recover a valuable baseball card that one of their friends had sold for only a few hundred dollars to a dubious collector. According to Korman, it was morally justifiable as they were essentially reclaiming what rightfully belonged to them, making it similar to the “Ocean’s Eleven” storyline but for younger audiences.

In the movie “Swindle”, Ariana Grande portrays Amanda Benson, a cheerleader who is second only in beauty among her entire school. On the surface, Amanda appears to be cool and popular, but she harbors insecurities beneath this facade. Grande revealed during a promotional interview for the film that Amanda is quite insecure, but as the story unfolds, it’s revealed that she is actually a big geek who loves “Star Wars” collectibles. For Grande, working with actors she already knew and had chemistry with was an incredible experience. She called it a dream come true, stating, “They’re all such great kids, so it’s fantastic.

Family Guy

Throughout the long-running series “Family Guy,” spanning over two decades, various celebrities have lent their voices to minor and supporting characters. These include prominent figures like Robert Downey Jr. and Cate Blanchett, as well as less expected appearances, such as Mario Lopez in Season 21. Among the show’s impressive roster of guest stars is Ariana Grande, who made a brief appearance as an unheard Italian Girl in Season 12, Episode 12 (“Mom’s the Word”), which was aired in 2014.

Following the death of his grandmother on his father’s side, Stewie Griffin (Seth MacFarlane) encounters the reality of death for the first time. One late night, Brian (also voiced by MacFarlane) queries why Stewie is still awake. A tired Stewie replies, “I’m just changing the oil in my car; what else would I be doing? Apologies, I picked that up from the family next door, they’ve been making noise all night.

After taking a brief moment to eavesdrop on the nearby chat, a young girl (voiced by Grande) inquires about getting $5 for lunch the next day. Her father replies casually, suggesting he has to check his treasure-filled room first. Stewie confides in Brian that this initial statement is not always truthful. Upon viewing a YouTube clip featuring this obscure character, many viewers were taken aback to discover it was Grande providing the voice, expressing their wish for her character to appear on screen instead. @marvinlett651 added, “Having Ariana Grande’s character make a physical appearance would have been even more impressive.

Scream Queens

After wrapping up her career at Nickelodeon, Ariana Grande accepted a fresh acting role in 2015, portraying Chanel #2 in the Fox series “Scream Queens.” This horror/comedy follows the story of Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts) and her clique of fellow Chanels, who are members of Kappa House sorority. Despite their names not being important enough for recognition, they all find themselves under threat from an unknown campus killer.

longtime fan of co-creator Ryan Murphy’s work, such as “American Horror Story,” Grandee couldn’t contain her excitement when she got chosen for his project. In a chat with “Extra,” she expressed her enthusiasm: “When the opportunity to meet him arrived, I was like, ‘Whatever you need me to do, I’m all in.’ I told him, ‘I’ll take any role – even the first one to be killed or the villain. Just give me something!’ I was overjoyed when this chance presented itself.

In four episodes of the series, Chanel #2 made an appearance, which was fine with Grande as she enjoyed being involved in something that blended femininity and eeriness simultaneously. As a long-time enthusiast of horror (her preferred movie at age two was “Jaws”), and following years of producing child-friendly content, “Scream Queens” provided a refreshing change in pace. She expressed, “It’s delightful to take a brief respite from the norm and engage in something entirely distinct, a complete reversal. It’s quite enjoyable. I want to do more.” Regrettably, “Scream Queens” was discontinued after two seasons.

Zoolander 2

After her short guest role in “Family Guy,” Ariana Grande agreed to make another fleeting appearance in 2016, this time for “Zoolander 2.” In this sequel, Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) attempt modeling in Rome, but they are later enlisted by special agent Valentina Valencia (Penélope Cruz) to find a murderer targeting pop stars. Grande’s role is simply listed as Latex BDSM, and if you’ve seen the movie, you understand why.

In one sequence, Grande and Christina Hendricks’ character are attempting to charm Hansel. However, Hansel hesitates, revealing he’s temporarily single but still committed. In response, Grande suggests, “Just because you’re not free doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate each other physically.” Before the movie premiered, Grande skillfully kept her role’s nature secret. During an interview on “BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show,” she cryptically shared, “I can only say that, despite its minor scale, it was the most incredible encounter of my life.” Regrettably, “Zoolander 2” failed to impress, causing Ben Stiller enough concern that he chose to explore different paths for his career.

Hairspray Live!

Before I ascended to Nickelodeon stardom, I kicked off my entertainment journey at the tender age of 14 on Broadway, starring in the musical “13.” As my TV career soared, I found myself drifting away from theater, but my ardor for it never dwindled. In 2016, I was granted a chance to revisit my first love when I played Penny Pingleton in NBC’s “Hairspray Live!”, which graced our screens in December. To Extra, I confessed, “I’ve always been a theater enthusiast, and many people don’t realize that this is essentially the essence of who I am, it’s like the core of my being.” As a child, “Hairspray” was my favorite musical, and Penny was my beloved character.

Ariana Grande felt privileged to be among luminaries such as Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, and particularly Kristin Chenoweth during this live broadcast event. As a long-standing admirer of Chenoweth, Grande had previously been granted the opportunity to meet her backstage at the premiere of “Wicked” on Broadway, where Chenoweth played Glinda alongside Idina Menzel as Elphaba. Chenoweth remarked about Grande, “I could tell right away that this girl was exceptional, and look at us now.

For Grande, it was equally meaningful to broadcast the enchantment of Broadway directly into households that might not have the chance to enjoy it firsthand. She expressed this sentiment as, “Bringing that Broadway spirit right into your living room is just brilliant and so significant and holds such a special place in my heart since theater means so much to me personally.” In an interview with Snugglepaw Digital Studios, she further emphasized, “This is truly essential to me in my life.

Men in Black: International

2019 saw Ariana Grande making yet another short appearance in films, this time in “Men in Black: International,” the latest installment of the action/sci-fi series. As Agent M (Tessa Thompson) joins the organization, she discovers that numerous celebrities are actually hidden aliens. Upon entering headquarters, she encounters the vast Alien Watch System, which signals Grande, Elon Musk, and Donald Glover as disguised extraterrestrials to keep an eye on. Agent High T (Liam Neeson) warns Agent M, “It’s never who you expect it to be.” The movie continues the tradition of its predecessors by featuring aliens masquerading as celebrities, including Danny DeVito and Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley, and Martha Stewart.

This cameo came at the perfect time for Grande, who released the track “NASA” just a few months prior to the film hitting theaters. The song features a remastered version of Neil Armstrong’s iconic message upon stepping foot on the moon: “That’s one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind.” It was such a hit with NASA that the agency invited Grande for a tour of the Johnson Space Center. “My mind is still processing and devouring every second of what just happened,” she said of her visit on Instagram (via BBC), adding, “What a special day and experience.”

Kidding

In 2020, Ariana Grande reappeared on TV with a musical role in the Showtime series “Kidding,” starring Jim Carrey. In Season 2, Episode 5 (“Episode 3101”), she made an appearance as Piccola Grande, also known as the Fairy of Hope, within Jeff Pickles’ program. As Jeff, played by Carrey, struggles with his personal life while maintaining his status as a beloved children’s TV star, Piccola Grande encourages him and his puppet companions to stay united and maintain hope for the future. Throughout her upbeat song, Grande showcased her impressive vocal skills, incorporating numerous runs and using her distinctive falsetto.

On Instagram (via Billboard), Grande shared a picture of herself with Carrey, one of her long-admired actors whom she was delighted to collaborate and perform alongside. She titled the post, “There’s nothing more exhilarating than getting the chance to work with and spend time with someone you’ve admired and loved since before you could speak. In fact, what’s even more amazing is finding that person to be more extraordinary and kind-hearted in reality than you ever imagined.

Don’t Look Up

Enthusiastic about comedy, Ariana Grande was thrilled when Adam McKay, a writer, director, and producer, invited her to play a humorous part in his 2021 film “Don’t Look Up.” In this movie, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and graduate student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) strive to inform the world about an incoming comet. However, instead of focusing on the impending doom of Earth, people become more engrossed in the romantic entanglements of pop star Riley Bina (Grande), who shares screen time with a character named DJ Cello. Grande herself commented on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” that “the news about our relationship seems to overshadow the news of Earth’s end.

During the film, Riley and DJ Cello team up for a grand concert where they sing “Just Look Up.” Ariana Grande came up with some exceptional improvisations for this song, leaving McKay astounded. As McKay explained in an interview (Rolling Stone), it was Grande who added the lines about “We’re all going to die. Switch off that depressing news.” These were her creative additions to the initial scratch track of the melody line, and as soon as I heard it, I knew it had to be included in the movie.

Wicked

For Ariana Grande, playing the role of Glinda in the two-part movie adaptation of the popular Broadway musical “Wicked” has been a long-held ambition. During an interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (via NBC) in 2024, the talk show host reminded her of a tweet she posted in 2011: “Enjoyed seeing Wicked again…outstanding production! It reaffirmed my dream to play Glinda at some point in my career. #DreamRole.

Grande admits to having pestered Marc Platt, producer of the stage show, over the years, regularly checking in for updates about a film adaptation. When the project was finally given the green light and Grande learned that auditions were on the horizon, she wanted to prove that she was more than a pop star. “I have never wanted something as badly as I did this,” she told Broadway World. “I worked every day with [my vocal coaches for six months] to transform my voice. My singing voice, everything about me I had to kind of deconstruct to prove to them that I could handle taking on this other person. I kind of had to completely erase pop star Ari.”

In the movie “Wicked,” both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sang their vocals live on set, demonstrating their incredible resilience to tackle the demanding vocal requirements. It’s clear that the younger Ariana who once met Kristin Chenoweth would be thrilled to see what her future accomplishments would become.

2024-09-21 14:30