Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater travel to Boca Raton to watch 'Wicked' with the singer's grandmother

After a whirlwind press tour for "Wicked" that spanned several continents, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater made a more personal stop to celebrate the film. On November 25, the couple visited Grande's hometown of Boca Raton, Florida, for a special screening of "Wicked" with her family, including her beloved Nonna Marjorie and her brother Frankie.  

Grande shared the sweet moments with her fans on Instagram Stories, giving them a glimpse into the intimate day. In one post, she leaned affectionately toward her Nonna, who held her dog on her lap in an endearing move. Frankie sat beside them, and Grande captioned the photo, "Flew to Boca for a day to watch with Nonna at the movie theater I grew up going to every weekend, Cinemark 20 in Boca." 

The picture was captured by Slater, whom she tagged in the post.  Ariana highlighted a particularly memorable moment from the screening when her Nonna enthusiastically reacted to the sugar glider's drum solo, "Oh, I LOVE that," a comment Grande enthusiastically shared with director John M. Chu in her story. 

 The emotional highlight came during Grande's video of her Nonna's reaction to the iconic "Wicked" number "Popular," performed by Ariana as Glinda. With her Nonna's hand clasped in hers, Ariana giggled as the song ended while Frankie and the rest of the room cheered.  

Breaking Records

Wicked: Part 1 is one of the biggest films of the year. The movie, which stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, is based on the beloved Broadway musical. 

The film, which premiered this past Friday, shattered numerous box office records. It achieved the largest opening for a movie based on a Broadway musical and the biggest debut for a film featuring a pop star. This milestone places Ariana Grande ahead of other pop stars who have appeared in films, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Michael Jackson.

As of this writing, "Wicked: Part 1" has achieved the third biggest opening weekend of 2024, behind "Deadpool & Wolverine" and "Inside Out 2."

Although we are still several months away from the prestigious Academy Awards, there is growing speculation that the highly anticipated film adaptation of "Wicked" may garner some significant recognition from the Academy. Many industry insiders are predicting that Ariana Grande is a strong contender for a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category. This year, the competition in that category appears wide open, making her chances even more promising. 

In addition to Grande's potential recognition, analysts are forecasting nominations in other key categories, particularly for Costume Design and Production Design. Given the musical's rich visual aesthetics and elaborate costumes, voters will likely take note of the film's artistic achievements, further solidifying its place in this awards season's conversations.