For a global pop superstar likeAriana Grande, it’s difficult to attain further levels of fame. Now, along with being a chart-topper and live performer who can sell out the biggest arenas in the world, she is now an Oscar-nominated actor and the heart of one of the cinematic success stories of 2024. Grande’s performance as Glinda, the bubbly, vain sorceress student inWicked, is a triumph, both a revelatory turn by the singer and the film’s greatest asset. With thehighly-anticipated second part,Wicked: For Good, set to release later in 2025, she will remain a prominent figure in the film world. Being no stranger to the screen prior to her groundbreaking music career,Grande looks to carry herWickedbaggage into future roles that play into her greatest strength as an actor: comedy.A new installment in theMeet the Parentsseries might not move the needle, but Grande’s involvement is exactly the spark it needs.
Ben Stiller Teases a “Really Funny” Part for Ariana Grande in the New ‘Meet the Parents’
It’s easy to forget how massive theMeet the Parentstrilogy was during the 2000s. Considering the endangered status of studio comedies, turning theBen Stiller-Robert De Niro-led 2000 filminto a trilogy seems baffling, if not a blatant cash grab. By the timeLittle Fockersrolled out, everyone probably rolled their eyes, but it still made over$300 million worldwideat the box office. With Stiller and De Niro coming off writing and producingSeveranceand earning a late-career Oscar nomination forKillers of the Flower Moon, respectively,the two are set to reunite for a fourth installment in theParentsseries. With directorJay Roachnow in the producer’s chair, longtime series writerJohn Hamburgis planning to take the reins as director.
10 Must-Watch Comedy Movies, Ranked
These comedies shouldn’t be missed.
Last month,The Hollywood Reporterrevealedthat Ariana Grande hasbeen cast in an unknown rolein this upcoming movie by Universal Studios (which also producedWicked), along with Stiller, De Niro,Blythe Danner, andTeri Polo. The series has historically pulled in unexpected star power, asMeet the FockersaddedDustin HoffmanandBarbra Streisand. Plot details remain unclear at the time, butTHRsources stated that one aspect of the story revolves around the son of Greg Focker (Stiller) and Pam Byrnes (Polo), who “gets engaged to a ball-busting woman who seems all wrong for him.” Allegedly,this “ball-busting” fiancé will be played by Grande.“She’s going to be really, really funny and kind of the whole engine of the new movie,” Stillerteased to theTodayshow. The film is scheduled for a November 2026 theatrical release.
Ariana Grande’s Accomplished Track Record as a Comedic Actor
WhileMeet the Parentsstripped down Robert De Niro’s serious, tough guy persona, and paved the way for his prolific comedy career in the 21st century, no one needs to be hard-sold onGrande as a comedic presence. For some, the muted colors and restrained choreography of the musical numbers were unavoidable flaws inWicked, buteveryone agreed that Grande was pure dynamic on screen, capturing the self-obsession and pride of a student who knows a thing or two about being popular. However, because she’s such an affectionate and sensitive performer, it’s impossible to ever loathe Glinda, and the key to her performance was her natural humor of both broad and subtle strokes.
Before ascending to global pop star status, Grande was already a pivotal figure for kids and tweens, as she was the stand-out on the Nickelodeon sitcomVictorious.The ditzy, effervescent persona that empowered Glinda on the big screen was first utilized as Cat inVictorious, and it’s no surprise that Grande’s core mode as an actor appeals to a family-friendly audience. Grande was such a breakthrough that she received her own spin-off series,Sam & Cat, but by this point, she was embarking on her illustrious music career. Still, she found time to re-work her acting chops as a two-time host ofSaturday Night Live.Splitting duties as a musical performer, Grande, likeJustin Timberlake, proved to be a natural onSNL, letting loose and poking fun at her distinct persona.
Adam McKay’s political satire,Don’t Look Up, is a misguided mess, but Grande’s brief role as Riley Bina, a singer brought in to distract from the impending apocalypse, is one of the film’s few moments of genuine charm. Where many pop stars vow prestigious acclaim following years of success on the stage,Ariana Grande is taking ashrewd approach to her acting careerby leaning into her strength as a comedy star.Her post-Wickedcachet is the kind of pop a newMeet the Parents, which would otherwise feel uninspired and redundant, needs. After making family-friendly audiences laugh for over a decade, Grande is ready to tackle edgier comedy, bouncing off cinematic stalwarts in Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.
Meet the Parents
