Ariana Grande has taken the spotlight with her record-breaking feature debut as Glinda Upland in Wicked Part One, a musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu. The film, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel and set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy’s arrival, marks a milestone in Grande's career as it becomes the biggest global and domestic opening for a pop star's film debut.
The film outshines the feature debuts of pop legends like Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born, $42.5 million), Harry Styles (Don’t Worry Darling, $19.3 million), Britney Spears (Crossroads, $14.5 million), Taylor Swift (Cats, $6.6 million), Madonna (Desperately Seeking Susan, $1.5 million), and Michael Jackson (The Wiz, $21 million in total domestic gross).
In an emotional Instagram post, Ariana expressed her gratitude to her fans, saying, "You’ve held my hand and helped mend my heart time and time again, and I wouldn’t be here without you." She described her connection with her fans as one of the "greatest joys and gifts" of her life and encouraged them to see her work on the big screen.
Wicked Part One is poised to be a game-changer, not just for Grande but for musical cinema, solidifying her transition from pop superstar to acclaimed actress. Fans and critics alike eagerly await the second installment of this spellbinding story.
