- Ariana Grande has become a first-time Oscar nominee for her role as Glinda in Wicked
- The pop star is up for Best Supporting Actress at the ceremony, which will be held on March 2
- Grande revealed the nomination is an ‘unfathomable honor’
Ariana Grande has snapped up a slew of nominations thanks to her role as Glinda in Wicked.
And among them is the 31-year-old’s very first Oscar nod.
Ahead of the prestigious ceremony on March 2, Grande opened up about the “unfathomable honor” of being nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
“Getting to play Glinda was the greatest gift of my life,” she admitted to The Hollywood Reporter. “So just to be recognized in this way for that is an unfathomable honor.
“I’m so deeply moved and grateful, and it is far beyond comprehension.”
Ariana Grande thanks ‘tiny Ari’ for Oscar nomination
It’s not the first time Grande has told of her delight to be an Oscar nominee.
Shared her excitement with Variety – revealing that she had just taken a bath when she got the news, and having to call the outlet back to accept a congratulatory phone call from her therapist – she also said a few words via her Instagram page.
“Picking my head up in between sobs to say thank you so much to @theacademy for this unfathomable recognition,” she said, before poking fun at herself and the emotional Wicked press tour by adding, “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,” Grande continued. “I’m so proud of you, tiny.
“Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for this acknowledgement @theacademy.”
Grande added, “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.”
Ariana Grande opens up about child stardom
This week, Grande also shared her thoughts on growing up in the public eye as a child star.
During her teen years, Grande performed on Broadway in the musical 13, before landing a role playing Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon teen sitcom Victorious, and its spin-off, Sam & Cat.
In an interview with BBC World Service, Grande was asked about becoming “such a fully-formed person as a result of a child acting experience”.
“Being in this industry at all – as a child, as an adult, as anything – is a balance of ‘survive’ and ‘thrive’,” Grande admitted. “You know, there are so many beautiful things that come with being an actor and a performer, and I remember just falling in love with my character, and that being such a gift to my life.
“I think playing Cat Valentine was like my very first experience getting absolutely lost in a character, I just loved it so much.”
While she spoke positively of her first forays into the spotlight, Grande also acknowledged that “being in this industry, you need that support”.
“Every single thing about it is quite strange and quite alien, you know?” she explained. “Even just the experience of acting in and of itself, you are not yourself, and it’s a very strange thing.
“Just working like an adult as a child is, you know, an adjustment as well. Doing school in a little tiny room, having to take certain exams to graduate early so you can work hours sooner, these are all choices that we made. But it definitely should be, I think, a more protected place, this industry – for kids, for adults, for anyone.”
Grande added, “I just worry about those who don’t have that support, and it’s something that I hope we can be a positive part of that change together.”
