Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have changed for good after starring opposite each other as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in the upcoming Bad duology. And in a new cast interview with Vanity fair posted on Thursday (March 21) — eight months before the first of the two films premieres on Thanksgiving Day — the stars had nothing but good things to say about each other.
According to the “Positions” singer, for example, she's been hoping to work with Erivo ever since Harriet The star sang “Stand Up” at the 2020 Academy Awards. “He's my favorite female voice,” Grande said of her actor. “When I was watching you sing at the Oscars, I said, 'I hope to sing with her one day.'
“I just have to say, I don't think people realize she's got the chops,” Erivo said of the pop star while holding her hand, causing Grande's eyes to well up, according to the report. “I don't think people realize how brilliant this person's brain, voice and talent is.”
Grande and Erivo spent most of 2023 filming Bad in the UK, taking a temporary hiatus over the summer due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. During this time away, the “Yes, And?” musician recorded her new album Eternal sunshinewhich recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
In addition to a first look at the couple's photos, a sneak peek Bad were few and far between before filming wrapped earlier this year. The first trailer for the film was shown during the 2024 Super Bowl broadcast and Vanity fair shared several new photos of the cast — which also includes Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum — in costume on Thursday.
However, Grande and Erivo, as well as director Jon M. Chu, revealed a few details in the new interview. Chu confirmed that, at the insistence of his leading ladies, all of their vocals were done live on set. “When we were shooting it, those girls were like, 'F-K the pre-recordings. We're going live,” he told the publication, though he was skeptical at first.
“There will be a lot of wind in your airways. It is OK;” he had asked, to which they replied, “Yes. That's what we're doing”.
This goes for all the stunts that Grande and Erivo had to do. The Victorious The alum marveled at how her counterpart was able to pull off the musical's famously difficult numbers despite “having a leash pulling and pushing and pulling and pulling in every nook and cranny there is.”
Erivo also told Grande, “I'm never going to forget you jumping on a chandelier over my head while I'm singing.”
Check out his new photos Bad cast, which Grande shared on Instagram, below.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-praise-each-others-wicked-talents-1235637921/
