Ariana Grande has addressed why she is credited as Ariana Grande-Butera in both parts of Wicked.
The 32-year-old American singer-songwriter and actress opened up to Hit Network in an interview last year about why she chose to be referred to by her full name instead of the one the world is familiar with.
Sharing the reason behind her moniker choice, Grande said, “Technically, it’s my little-girl name. It’s technically little Ari’s name.”
The Wicked: For Good star explained, “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.”
Grande went on to reveal, “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.”
For those unaware, Grande in the Zoolander 2 actress’ name comes from her mother’s Joan’s surname, while her father’s name is Edward Butera. Notably, her parents annulled their marriage in her childhood.
It is pertinent to mention that Ariana Grande secured an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress for playing Glinda in the 2024 Wicked movie.
