
Ariana Grande recently expressed her gratitude to Ryan Reynolds for the kind words he shared about the upcoming Wicked movie at the 2024 National Board of Review gala. Directed by Jon M. Chu, this musical fantasy film stars Ariana as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, with a talented cast that includes Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, among others.
On January 7, Reynolds presented at the event where Wicked’s producer Marc Platt accepted the award for Best Film of 2024. Grande, along with her co-stars Erivo, Yeoh, Slater, and director Chu, attended the gala to celebrate the film.
During his speech, Reynolds passionately praised Wicked, highlighting the strong, multifaceted female characters at the heart of the story. He emphasized how the movie explores a complex and meaningful relationship that has captivated audiences for over 20 years. He said, “Wicked is indeed wicked. It dares to center on two powerful women. It examines a nuanced, complex relationship which has resonated with people for over two decades on stage.”
In response, Ariana took to Instagram Stories to thank Reynolds for his heartfelt words. She shared a post he made that featured a picture of her listening intently to his speech, captioning it, “YOU REALLY MOVED ME @vancityreynolds CLEARLY LOL.” She added a personal message, saying, “Thank you for the kindest and most generous words last night am so serious they meant so much and I appreciate you!!!!!!”
Reynolds also addressed the typical struggles women face in films, acknowledging how movies that focus on female characters often hold them to unrealistic standards, like needing to be “perfect.” He spoke about how Wicked challenges these expectations, presenting women who are complex and far from perfect, which is part of what makes their stories so powerful.
Finally, Reynolds praised Universal and its executives for their trust in the film, which has already become a huge success. His thoughtful comments and appreciation of the film’s themes meant a lot to Ariana, who clearly felt touched by his support.