As the upcoming Wicked: For Good inches closer to its big debut on the 2025 movie schedule, new details are emerging about how the story leans into — and reshapes — the Wizard of Oz mythos. In a new interview, Glinda the Good actor Ariana Grande has opened up about playing a slightly more complex, and honestly funnier, version of her “Good Witch” character. It turns out that even in Oz, being perfect has its limits.
In a new interview with Empire, Grande shared that her Glinda doesn’t exactly roll out the pink carpet when it comes to one very familiar visitor from Kansas: Dorothy Gale. She explained to the outlet:
I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy. There’s a lot going on, and she doesn’t really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn’t. That’s a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her.
That subtle shade adds a refreshing twist to Glinda, who’s usually seen as all glitter and good vibes. But the “7 Rings” singer’s take, much like the Wicked story itself, is more layered and a little more playful. Less perfect fairy godmother, more high-powered Oz publicist trying to hold things together while the wide-eyed girl from Kansas blows into town and looks for directions.
Director Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good picks up right where Wicked: Part One (now streaming with a Prime Video subscription) left off, pushing the story closer to the familiar Oz canon. Cynthia Erivo returns as Elphaba alongside Grande as Glinda, and this time around, fans are also getting new songs written by original Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz. Just this week, the titles of the two original tracks were revealed, and both the A-listers have started teasing what they bring to their characters.
While it’s still unclear exactly how Dorothy will be portrayed in the sequel, the newly revealed song titles – “Girl In The Bubble” and “No Place Like Home” – might offer some insight. Ariana Grande, a lifelong Wicked fan, recently said Glinda “deserves” her new solo. While she does reprise “I’m Not That Girl” in the stage production, that number leans more into the Fiyero love triangle than Glinda’s personal growth. Could we see her evolve from throwing side-eye at Dorothy to guiding her home, having fully stepped into her role as The Good Witch? Time will tell.
Personally, hearing the “We Can’t Be Friends” performer’s thoughts on Glinda’s dynamic with Dorothy has only made me more curious about where Wicked: For Good is heading. The choice to split the story into two films honestly feels more justified with each new detail we learn.
Dorothy may not be the centerpiece of this sequel, but it sounds like she’ll play an essential role in shaping Glinda’s arc, and that has me so pumped. While we wait for the flick to hit theaters on November 21, you can revisit the Wicked: For Good trailer to tide you over.