- Ariana Grande has responded to claims she will be performing a medley of Wicked songs at the 2025 Oscars ceremony, alongside her co-star and fellow nominee, Cynthia Erivo
- Erivo also addressed the whispers
- But fans were left with more questions than answers…
The 2025 Oscars are just around the corner – and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have now responded to rumors that they will be performing at the prestigious ceremony.
But don’t get too excited, as the pair haven’t so much cleared up the whispers that they will be taking a medley of songs from their movie, Wicked, as clouded them even further.
In a red carpet interview with Variety at the Critics Choice Awards, Grande, 31, was asked if the duo – who are up for the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress gongs for their roles as Elphaba and Glinda in the movie-musical – will also perform at the Oscars.
“I don’t know where this has come from,” she laughed.
But then on February 9, Grande again addressed the rumors at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where she accepted the Virtuoso Award.
“My take on this… what did Cynthia say?,” she asked IndieWire.
“Yeah, I don’t know either. I’m at a loss. It would be really fun. We will have our thermoses, our pink and green thermoses, filled with throat-coat tea.
“Hers will probably be rose and an English breakfast mixed together or something like that. In case, we’ll be ready, but I know nothing.”
Cynthia Erivo also addresses claims she will perform with Ariana Grande
Here’s Ariana Grande’s response to being asked the rumor that her and Cynthia Erivo are opening this year’s #Oscars ceremony with a #Wicked medley. pic.twitter.com/3SnJe6IWa9
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) February 10, 2025
As Grande left us on that cryptic cliffhanger, Erivo, 38, was also keeping schtum about the whispers.
“I’m not doing this with you, goodbye,” she joked with Access Hollywood. “I’m not saying anything. I don’t know where you got that from, goodbye. What are you talking about?
“I don’t know why everyone keeps doing this to me, I don’t know what it’s going to be about. I can’t tell you anything about it. I’m going, bye!”
And like Grande, Erivo tried to throw interviewers at the Critics Choice Awards off the scent.
“Why does everyone keep saying that? I don’t know where this has come from,” she laughed. “This feels like wishful thinking to me, personally. Why on Earth would we be singing?”
When are the 2025 Oscars?
Cynthia Erivo attempts to leave after being asked again whether she and Ariana Grande will perform at the #Oscars:
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) February 10, 2025
“I’m not doing this with you, goodbye!”
(📹: Access Hollywood)
pic.twitter.com/ND5zA5uyEE
The 2025 Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 2 2025 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood California. This will mark the ceremony’s 24th consecutive year in this particular space.
The ceremony itself will start at 4 p.m. PT and 7 p.m ET. This new earlier schedule came into force for the 2024 awards.
Prior to this, the Oscars typically started at 5pm PT and 7pm ET. This time scale was often pushed even later when the event overran thanks to its lengthy speeches.
This year’s show will be hosted by comedian and former Late Night host Conan O’Brien. O’Brien takes over from 2024 host Jimmy Kimmel who marked his fourth time fronting the awards show having previously hosted in 2017, 2018 and 2023.
