And please note the gingham nod to Dorothy.
If there’s one thing Ariana Grande has made abundantly clear this year, it’s that she absolutely adores all things Wicked. A long-time fan of the musical, the pop star was over the moon (or should we say rainbow?) to join the project as Glinda the Good Witch way back in 2021. Three years later, the film is finally hitting landing in cinemas—and, as Grande’s press tour has shown, she is still just as big a fan as ever.
Her adorable look at the Los Angeles premiere last night was the perfect homage to the musical with its array of subtle sartorialWicked and Wizard of Oz references. She wore a strapless gown with a fitted corset-style bodice and a glamorous hoop skirt with a slightly uneven hemline. The silhouette was, of course, a reference to the iconic gown worn by her character in the film. And, yes, the dress was Glinda-pink, naturally—but it also featured a soft gingham print in a reference to Dorothy's famous checked dress from the original Wizard of Oz film.
Grande paired the gown with a matching bolero, matching gloves, and she wore a matching bow in her hair, which was slicked back in a bun. She completed the look with a pair of silver sparkly heels and pearl stud earrings. Overall, these touches leant a touch of Audrey Hepburn-esque Old Hollywood glamour to the look, perhaps in another subtle nod to the original Wizard of Oz.
Grande kept her makeup soft with a few pink touches and her signature cat eye, seemingly referencing her Wicked character once again. As the actor said in a recent behind-the-scenes video, “Glinda’s makeup kind of made me transform my entire look and my entire relationship to makeup. I just love it so much,” she said, adding, “There’s no thick eyeliner, there’s no heavy crease, it’s just really warm and open and pretty and, you know, the lashes are in a cat shape, which still gives you the cat eye lift that I usually love, but it’s also just a more honest representation of what you look like.”
Grande was joined on the red carpet by her co-star, Cynthia Erivo, who also paid homage to her character, Elphaba the Wicked Witch of West, wearing a dramatic neon green latex maxi gown with a midriff cut-out paired with a matching feathered cape, which she wore around her arms.
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, were also in attendance.
This is far from the first time Grande has channeled her Glinda energy during the Wicked press tour. All the way back in April, she wore a whimsical pink mini dress that looked like one giant flower. Last month, she opted for a bright pink Mugler dress during her SNL appearance along with an ethereal white lace gown at the WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards. At the film’s Australia premiere earlier this month, she wore a heavenly pink tulle gown and looked like she had literally just stepped out of her character’s famous bubble.