Ariana Grande shares dramatic selfie in tears as she says goodbye to Wicked character Glinda after five years
Ariana Grande shared the emotional moment she said goodbye to Wicked’s iconic character Glinda after five and a half years.
The 32-year-old actress, who led the stars on the Critics’ Choice Awards 2026 red carpet, shared a gallery of photos on Instagram, including a selfie with tears streaming down her face while wearing her movie costume dress.
She captioned the post for her millions of followers: ‘G. ‘Make things miserable for five and a half years.’
In the photo in question, an emotional Grande has a lollipop in her mouth and gives a thumbs up, even though she’s wearing makeup and crying.
The gallery also included many behind-the-scenes photos, including a few selfies of her doing her hair and makeup.
There was also a Polaroid photo of her taking duck-faced selfies with Wicked director John M Chu.
Ariana Grande shared the emotional moment she said goodbye to Wicked’s iconic character Glinda after five and a half years
Meanwhile, November wasn’t the first time he said goodbye to his iconic character; published an emotional open letter to Wicked fans reflecting on her time as Glinda following the film’s record-breaking premiere.
The Grammy-winning pop sensation shared the long note on social media as Wicked: For Good topped the box office, hitting historic numbers and cementing its place as one of the most successful musical adaptations in recent memory.
In her message, Grande spoke candidly about her connection to the magical Land of Oz, writing that it had been her “safe space” for as long as she could remember.
The actor went on to detail the emotional lessons that shaped him throughout the story; these included learning to ‘love unconditionally’, ‘to forgive’, to ‘fiercely protect ourselves and each other… and to fight for what is truly, deeply good’.
She continues to reflect on the importance of stepping into the role of Glinda and describes it as a transformative experience.
Being your ‘Good Glinda’ and being asked to join this most wonderful group of people on a creative and emotionally fulfilling journey has been the greatest gift of my life. “I learned more from my time with Glinda than anyone else,” he added.
Grande also acknowledged the deep emotional connection between the production and its fans, writing that seeing how Wicked impacted audiences “has been the most meaningful, moving, and precious gift of my entire life.”
The 32-year-old actress shared a gallery of photos on Instagram, including a selfie with tears streaming down her face while wearing her movie costume dress.
She captioned the post for her millions of followers: ‘Blow things up with G for five and a half years.’
The gallery also included many behind-the-scenes photos, including a few selfies of her doing her hair and makeup.
He was seen kissing a dog on set
There was also a Polaroid photo of her taking duck-faced selfies with Wicked director John M Chu.
Ariana also shared a photo of herself leaning her head on the director’s shoulder
At the end of the message, he reflected on the end of this chapter of his life.
‘Before you go, please remember this: when things get scary or you feel alone, home is wherever we are and with whomever we want… The Ozian family you choose loves you exactly as you are.’
She signed off the message by writing: ‘Love always, Ariana (your Glinda).’
One fan wrote to X: ‘Ariana writes the sweetest love letter to the Glinda era with all the main character energy and pure Broadway sparkle.
Another wrote: ‘You can feel how much this role means to him….so genuine.’
“Ariana talks about Glinda like she changed her entire soul, this is so beautiful,” added a third.
Meanwhile, his co-star Cynthia Erivo celebrated the end of Wicked: For Good with a heartfelt farewell earlier this week.
‘I could write an article, a poem, a piece of Shakespearean prose about what this journey means to me, the lessons this time has taught me, the lessons it has given me,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘I can try to put a measure to the love I feel and experience. I can give a few of the stories I’ve heard. The truth is that numbers are too small and words are not enough.’
Grande seen as Glinda in Wicked: For Good
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time he’s said goodbye to his iconic character in November; published an emotional open letter to Wicked fans reflecting on her time as Glinda following the film’s record-breaking premiere.
“So I will simply say this,” he continued. ‘Take my hand and walk with me to the end of this road paved with gold, I hope the things I find find you too. Thank you for letting me be your Elphaba.’
Wicked: For Good had one of the biggest debuts of 2025, earning a record-breaking $150 million in North America and $226 million worldwide in its first weekend in theaters.
The highly anticipated sequel led the North American box office at the time, grossing $68.7 million from 4,115 theaters; This figure includes $30.8 million in previews.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film is the second installment in the large-scale adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical and tells the untold origin story of the witches of Oz.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film has the biggest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing the previous year’s $112.5 million Wicked and the third-biggest opening of all time for musical films, behind The Lion King (2019) and Beauty And The Beast (2017).
As of early January, Wicked: For Good has grossed $340.1 million at the domestic box office and $178.8 million at the international box office, bringing the global total to $518.9 million.
