Ariana Grande journeys with a fluffy friend; not Toto, but nearly. The Grammy-winning pop artist — now a freshly minted film star due to her role in “Wicked” — arrives at our shoot hours ahead of time, eager to socialize as she wanders by the coffee station holding her beagle-Chihuahua mix, Toulouse. As time goes by, Grande starts to appear as just another crew member, engaging eagerly in conversation with anyone she encounters. Ultimately, she makes the choice to bring Toulouse to the patio. “We’re simply in search of a bit of sunshine,” she sings.
It’s nearly surprising that she is unable to create her own. This year, Grande realized a lifelong aspiration by assuming the role of Galinda — the eternally cheerful mean girl who ultimately reveals her heart of gold, destined to evolve into Glinda the Good Witch. Jon M. Chu’s version of the hit Broadway musical concerning events in the land of Oz has propelled Grande, alongside her co-star Cynthia Erivo (who portrays Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West), into the core of Oscar season.
To reach that point, however, Grande initially needed to confront a gladiator. “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” were released on the same date, in a clash that reminded many of “Barbenheimer.” Once again, the compelling pink film triumphed over the R-rated drama, yet both films supported one another and contributed to saving the winter box office. The triumph of “Gladiator II” is largely attributed to the laid-back appeal of Paul Mescal. Portraying Roman warrior Lucius, the Irish actor elevates his status from recent indie favorites “All of Us Strangers” and “Aftersun.”
Mescal is just as laid-back and unpretentious as Grande while he walks around our studio, even stopping by to greet his close friend Saoirse Ronan during her photo shoot. Both stars view the competition between their films as a chance for some playful theater-kid antics. Reflecting the phrase fans created for their unexpected double feature, both Mescal and Grande, in their discussion, shout, “We are ‘Glicked!’”
