No one mourns the Wicked awards season campaign. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the 2025 Academy Awards on Sunday evening with a medley highlighting musical selections from their performances as Glinda and Elphaba.
The two actresses paid tribute to the Oz cinematic universe, performing songs from both The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz. Emerging on stage in a shimmering, ruby red dress, Grande opened the set with a moving rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” with Erivo following up with “Home” by Diana Ross. Together they belted out Defying Gravity. The performance earned the stars a standing ovation and moved co-star Michelle Yeoh to tears.
Wicked is one of the most nominated films of the night with 10 nods, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. Erivo and Grande both scored individual nominations for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
“A spellbinding moment awaits. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande take the #Oscars stage for a performance you won’t forget,” the Academy wrote on X about Erivo and Grande’s performance in the lead-up to the performance.
Their appearance comes after the Academy revealed this year’s show would not include performances of the five records nominated for Best Original Song. The category includes nods for “El Mal” and “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez, “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight, “Like a Bird,” from Sing Sing, and “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late.
“This year the Best Original Song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters,” Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and Janet Yang, Academy president, said in a letter to Academy members in January. “We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.”
As the Oscars officially bring this year’s film awards season to an end, Erivo and Grande can rest easy knowing they’ll probably get to do it all again quite soon. Wicked’s second installment, Wicked: For Good is scheduled for release on Nov. 21. Grande is already teasing music from the film, potentially eyeing a Best Original Song nomination on the next cycle.
Written by composer Stephen Schwartz, Grande has described a song featured in the Wicked: For Good as “a pivotal moment” in Glinda’s journey,” adding: “It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before. In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage. But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”
Erivo also co-wrote a song for the film. “I don’t know if you’re ready for it,” she teased. “I mean, I love the song, and I remember when we filmed it, the cast and crew were crying. So I don’t know. And I don’t know if that’s just because they were emotional that day or that’s what the song does. I feel like the song is very, very special. I don’t want to give you any more than that.”
From Rolling Stone US
