AceShowbiz - Ariana Grande, who plays the beloved Glinda the Good Witch in "Wicked", revealed her decision to use her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera, in the movie was a heartfelt homage to her childhood.

"Technically, it's my little girl name! It's technically little Ari's name," Grande explained in an interview with Justin Hill on "The Streaming Service". She continued, "I just feel like this experience was such a homecoming for me. I feel like I came home to myself in a lot of ways, through what I learned from Glinda, from Elphaba."

The experience of being part of "Wicked" has been deeply sentimental for Grande. She recounted attending the musical at the age of 10, accompanied by her grandmother, and being inspired by the original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth.

"That was my name when I went to see the show when I was 10 years old, and it felt like a really lovely way of honoring that. It felt really full circle, and it just felt like something I wanted to do," she shared.

Grande's embrace of her full name is also a response to her personal journey and her growth over the years. "It's a love note to her," Grande said, referring to her younger self. This nostalgic nod holds additional significance as she takes on a role that she has long admired and dreamt about.

The film adaptation of "Wicked", directed by Jon M. Chu, is split into two parts, with the first installment set to premiere on November 22 and the second part releasing in December 2025. The movie stars an ensemble cast including Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and many others.

Grande acknowledged the initial skepticism from fans regarding her casting, given her established pop music career. "I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver, or why I would be wrong or whatever," she admitted on the "Sentimental Men" podcast.

However, this pushed her to perform at her best and prove her capabilities. "It's fun to kind of have the challenge of reframing people's perception and doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces," she noted.

"Wicked" tells the backstory of the iconic characters from L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", focusing on the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba during their time at Shiz University.

The film promises not only to be a visual spectacle but also a journey of self-discovery and redemption for its cast and audience alike. With Grande at the helm as Glinda, fans can expect a magical, heartfelt performance that honors her roots while showcasing her growth.