Ariana Grande’s Real Name Is In the Credits of ‘Wicked’ Here’s Why

As Ariana Grande fans flock to theaters to see her take on Glinda in Wicked, they may notice that the actor’s name will be slightly different in the credits.

Although Grande has gone by her famous name for years, dating back to her days at Nickelodeon, she decided to use her real name for “Wicked”: Ariana Grande-Butera. Grande comes from her mother’s maiden name, Joan Grande, and Butera is her father’s maiden name, Edward Butera.

The 31-year-old pop star explained the importance of using her full name in the song “Wicked” during an appearance on the show. Podcast “Streaming Service with Justin Hill” along with co-star Cynthia Erivo.

Ariana Grande. — Ariana Grande, November 3, 2024, Sydney.Don Arnold/WireImage

Fragment of an interview with Australian presenter Justin Hill. TikTok accountGrande said, “Technically that’s my little girl’s name. Technically it is a small name (Ari).

She continued: “I just feel like this experience was a homecoming for me. I feel like I came into my own in a lot of ways because of what I learned from Glinda and Elphaba. You know, that’s what they called me when I went to the play when I was 10 years old. This was a really nice way to honor that.”

Grande has repeatedly stated that she has been a fan of the Broadway musical for many years. Hill chimed in and noted that using her full name was a “love note” to the young performer, who was excited about the show.

She agreed, adding: “It was a really complete feeling. It felt like something I wanted to do.”

Fans in the comments praised Grande for her emotional attachment to the role, which is the strongest of her career to date.

“I just know this role has healed a lot of parts of Ari,” one said.

Another noted that Grande seemed emotional while talking about using her real name. “Ari was holding back tears,” a fan wrote.

A third joked: “I think I’ll want to change the spelling of my name after watching this musical.”

In the episode, Grande also shared that she will carry on the feelings she had while filming the film and the relationships she built with the cast and crew.

Erivo echoed that sentiment and said the friendship she built with Grande was “at the center” of every scene they filmed.

“It was very intimate,” Grande said, adding that the film became a “warm space” for her.

Viewers will be able to see Grande and Erivo portray Glinda and Elphaba’s unbreakable friendship and hear the line “Yes, and?” The singer’s full name will appear in the credits when “Wicked” hits theaters on November 22.