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Ariana Grande scored a big honor for her role as Glinda in Wicked: she was nominated for an Oscar!
After the 97th Academy Awards nominations were revealed, Grande was on the list of nominees for Actress in a Supporting Role for Wicked. Ari is nominated alongside Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) and Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez).
Grande took to her Instagram to share her emotional reaction to the nomination, sharing a photo of a very young Ariana dressed up as Wizard of Oz's Dorothy, a few photos from Wicked, and a video from years back singing "Defying Gravity." In the caption, she shared, "Picking my head up in between sobs to say thank you so much to @theacademy for this unfathomable recognition. I cannot stop crying, to no one’s surprise. I'm humbled and deeply honored to be in such brilliant company and sharing this with tiny Ari who sat and studied Judy Garland singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' just before the big, beautiful bubble entered. I'm so proud of you, tiny."
Ari continued on as she thanked the Academy for the recognition, and Wicked's director, Jon M. Chu, calling him "the most unbelievably brilliant leader, human being and most fierce friend." She also acknowledged her co-star, Cynthia Erivo, who played Elphaba in the film (and nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role), writing, "I am so proud of my Elphie, my sister, my dear @cynthiaerivo. Your brilliance is never ending and you deserve every flower (tulip) in every garden. I love you unconditionally, always."
She concluded her message by sharing, "I don't quite have all my words yet, I'm still trying to breathe. but thank you. Oh my goodness, thank you. Universal, Marc, my family, my heart. Lemons and melons and pears, oh my."
Also congratulating Ari in her Academy Award nomination was Ari's boyfriend, Ethan Slater, who also appeared in the movie as Boq, in a rare post to his social media. He shared a photo of Ariana looking out of a window and holding a bunch of Glinda pink balloons, tagging The Academy and Wicked's official Instagram.