Being in Wicked was a life-long dream come true for Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the feature adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. Getting to be part of the world has been huge for her, so it makes sense that she kept some souvenirs from the set to remember the experience… including a key prop that helped transform Cynthia Erivo into Elphaba.
For anyone on the internet who has been holding space for the friendship between Grande and Erivo, the duo has talked about their matching “for good” and poppy tattoos as part of all the ways they have expressed their love for one another like the real life Glinda and Elphie they are. Recently a new addition to their bestie lore has been revealed: Grande does actually have in her possession Erivo’s prosthetic ears from the shoot.
In Grande’s recent interview with BBC Radio 1, the Oscar nominee confirmed it, and revealed where exactly she keeps her odd keepsake of a piece of Elphaba’s body. “So right now they’re just next to the printer, like with like pens and printer and then like Cynthia’s ears.” (The props were made to cover the piercings on Erivo’s her real ears.) “But sometimes if I’m having guests over, if I put out a tray of whatever, I’ll just kind of leave them nearby to see if anyone gets a little confused.”
Grande quickly interjected, “I’m just kidding, I’ve never done that, but I will. No, yeah, they’re next to the printer for now. Framing them is weird.”
It makes us wonder what Erivo might have kept of Glinda’s from the film, and if it’s as much of a choice as Grande’s trinkets. Friends honor each other in so many unique ways and the way the duo gush over each other is a tribute to their love of their Wicked characters.
The interview with Grande goes on to discuss one of her favorite moments during the shoot: when Erivo winked at Grande during the film’s pivotal “Defying Gravity” performance to help anchor the actress in Glinda’s strength. It nearly broke Grande out of character, but she held it together—”It’s a very emotional moment,” Grande said of that powerful and affirming gesture—and director Jon M. Chu kept it in the final cut.
“I think it’s very hard to say goodbye to someone that you love. And I think in that moment, we’re both breaking. And I think the wink was so generous and warm because I think she knows how hard it is for Glinda to open up and cry and to become emotional like that,” Grande said. “That’s why I’m trying so hard not to, and I’m crying through—I’m smiling through the—and I’m trying not— I’m holding back and she’s just like, ‘I’ve got you, it’s okay.’”
Grande continued, “And I think that’s what is so beautiful about ‘Defying Gravity’ is that it’s the true example of unconditional love. It is saying to someone, ‘I recognize that we can no longer grow together. We have to grow apart and I want that for you because I know it’s right and best for you but it just isn’t right and best for me. We’ve got this.’ And the wink is such a—it’s such a loud way of saying that.”
Watch the rest of the interview below:
Wicked is out now in theaters and on digital. Wicked: For Good opens this Thanksgiving.
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