The Academy might as well end the Oscars early, because Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo just stole the show. Tonight, Hollywood’s biggest stars arrived at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 97th annual Academy Awards.
The ceremony began with a surprise performance by Grande and Erivo that low-key ruined the night because nothing else will live up to it.
The Wicked stars sang a mashup of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Defying Gravity.” Grande was wearing a deep red gown that seemingly resembled Dorothy's red slippers, while Erivo was sporting a gorgeous white dress with colorful flowers.
Ahead of the performance, Grande spoke with Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet and revealed how honored she was to open the ceremony. “It’s beautiful. It’s a celebration of Oz,” she said. “And what an honor it is to sing with her, always. My sister. She’s the best singer in the whole world. My favorite voice. And it’s going to be beautiful.”
Both Erivo and Grande are nominated for 2025 Academy Awards for their roles in Wicked. Erivo is nominated for Best Actress alongside Karla Sofía Gascón for Emilia Pérez, Mikey Madison for Anora, Demi Moore for The Substance and Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here.
On the other hand, Grande is nominated for Best Supporting Actress alongside Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave and Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez.
What a wicked start.
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