Ariana Grande’s career is one of transformation. She’s mastered reinvention from her Nickelodeon beginnings to her chart-topping pop career. Now, in her most ambitious turn yet, she’s poised to dazzle the Oscars as Glinda, the Good Witch, in Universal Pictures’ blockbuster smash “Wicked.” But Grande’s venture into the emerald world of Oz is more than […]

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual […]

It’s been more than a month since “Wicked” hit theaters but the internet is still holding space for more ways to celebrate the blockbuster musical adaptation, which took home the Golden Globe this past weekend for box office achievement. While Universal churned out record levels of promotional merch ahead of the film’s Nov. release, rivaling […]

“Follow the Yellow Brick Road” isn’t stopping anytime soon. That’s because at the Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet Pre-Show at the Beverly Hilton, Ariana Grande donned an unworn vintage 1966 Givenchy Haute Couture dress. Grande told Marc Malkin, Variety‘s Senior Culture & Events Editor, that the dress’ color is inspired by the iconic song from […]

Although most of Greg Wells’ professional life has involved producing or writing for big pop artists (including Adele, Katy Perry, OneRepublic & Timbaland, Twenty One Pilots and John Legend), he’s dedicated more of his time in recent years to working on films. Two and a half years, specifically (so far), as the music producer on […]

The Palm Springs International Film Awards was an evening brimming with emotion, highlighted by a heartfelt tribute from Nicole Kidman, who received the International Star Award for her performance in the erotic thriller “Babygirl.” The Academy Award-winning actress moved much of the 1,000-plus audience at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Friday night to tears […]

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are revealing which scenes cut from “Wicked” left them most heartbroken to see deleted from the Jon M. Chu-directed movie. Several of the scenes are featured in recently released bonus content included in streaming versions of the movie. “I love them all. They all have a cozy spot in my […]

Seeing Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in action is a remarkable study in contrasts. Even after months of their omnipresence on social media and TV screens — as fans have consumed every morsel of the ongoing press tour for their film “Wicked,” in which tears have been shed (and shed, and shed!) — it’s hard […]

Stephen Schwartz will see you now. The worthier wizard of “Wicked” is the one who wrote one of Broadway’s all-time top song scores and now, a little over two decades later, has overseen the transition of that music into a film that is almost certainly on the fast track for Best Picture contention. He is […]

If you’re one of the many who caught “Wicked” in a theater, you’ve probably attended a sing-along screening – albeit unintentionally. As a theater kid, I understand both sides; it’s hard not to croon the lyrics to a beloved show but given a choice between hearing you and a Tony winner belt the big number, […]

Ariana Grande in “Wicked,” Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” and Angelina Jolie in “Maria”: What these performances have in common – besides a strong shot at Oscar nominations – is the man who coached each of their voices to their highest highs: esteemed Los Angeles vocal coach Eric Vetro. Vetro has been down this […]