• Ariana Grande is dating her "Wicked" costar Ethan Slater.
• Slater is a Broadway actor who rose to fame starring as Spongebob in "The Spongebob Musical."
• Here's what to know about Slater, from his notable roles to his relationship with ex-wife Lilly Jay. 

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship is facing renewed interest amid the release of "Wicked" and a personal essay published by Lilly Jay, Slater's ex-wife.

In July 2023, multiple outlets including People magazine and TMZ reported that Grande, 31, and her "Wicked" costar Slater, 32, were dating. The reports came days after news broke of Grande's separation from her husband, Dalton Gomez. 

Grande and Slater presumably met through their roles in the two-part film adaptation of the "Wicked" musical. Grande portrays Glinda, the popular girl at Shiz University, and Slater plays Boq, a classmate from Munchinland who has an unrequited crush on her but becomes the love interest of Elphaba's younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode).

Here's everything to know about Slater.  

Slater is an actor who rose to fame playing Spongebob on Broadway

For his star turn as the plucky yellow sponge in the 2017 musical adaptation of "Spongebob Squarepants," Slater received several accolades, including a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award win in 2018. He also starred in the Classic Stage Company's production of "Assassins," which ran until January 2021, and has had roles on shows including "Law & Order: SVU" and "Fosse/Verdon." 

Slater more recently starred in the Broadway revival of "Spamalot," which closed in April after a 24-week run. 

Shortly after news broke of his rumored relationship with Grande, Slater's Instagram page was made private. When viewed by Business Insider before Slater made the account private, the page mostly featured clips from his past and coming projects, as well as a blurry selfie with his then-wife, Jay. 

Slater shares a son with his ex-wife, Lilly Jay

Slater and Jay, a clinical psychologist in perinatal mental health and child development, met in high school and married in 2018. They welcomed their first child together, a son, in August 2022. 

In People's July 2023 report about Grande and Slater's relationship, a source said that Slater and Jay had separated, though they didn't give an exact timeframe for the separation. TMZ reported that Slater filed for divorce from Jay on July 26, 2023.

Jay later addressed Slater's romance with Grande in an interview with Page Six, calling the singer "not a girl's girl" and saying her family was "just collateral damage" in the controversy. 

Grande first sparked her own divorce rumors after she was spotted at a Wimbledon match without her wedding ring or engagement ring on July 16, 2023.

A day after the singer was seen without her rings at Wimbledon, TMZ reported that Grande and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce." The couple had been together since 2020 and married in 2021.

Grande and Gomez simultaneously filed for divorce in September 2023. Their separation date was listed in court documents as February 20, 2023.

Jay recently discussed her and Slater's divorce in an essay for The Cut, published on Thursday. In her essay, Jay avoided directly addressing Slater and Grande's relationship and instead focused on how her highly publicized divorce affected her. She also said that she and Slater continue to co-parent their child. 

"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," Jay wrote. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100% of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided. As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Libby Torres contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• In a personal essay, Lilly Jay, Ethan Slater's ex-wife, opened up about their divorce.
• In 2023, news broke that Slater was dating his "Wicked" costar, Ariana Grande.
• Jay said the movie's recent premiere reminds her of the saddest time of her life.

Lilly Jay, a perinatal psychologist and ex-wife of Wicked star Ethan Slater, has spoken for the first time about their break-up and being thrust into the spotlight.

In July 2023, rumors circulated that Slater was dating Ariana Grande, his "Wicked" costar, leading to Jay and Slater separating (though one source told People that Jay and Slater were already separated when the relationship began).

Jay published an essay in The Cut on Thursday, describing her experience in the aftermath of their divorce, which became official in September. She wonders whether it impacted her career, after she was passed over for a job and canceled on by a client.

Jay and Slater, who met in high school and started dating as college sophomores in 2012, had a son in August 2022. After the news broke of Slater and Grande's relationship, Jay told Page Six that Grande is "not a girl's girl" and that her family was "collateral damage." Since then, she refrained from divulging many details, including in her recent essay.

In her new essay, Jay did not speak directly about the details of Slater and Grande's relationship, including the exact timeline. Instead, she broke down how their very public divorce affected her, and the peace she's had to make with her life being less private since.

Grande and Slater did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.

She moved to the UK for Slater's career

Because "Wicked" was shot in the UK, Jay said that she moved to London with Slater when their son was two months old.

She said that she knew all about how vulnerable marriages are in the early stages of parenthood but still "confidently" moved for Slater's career.

"Consumed by the magic and mundanity of new motherhood, I didn't understand the growing distance between us," Jay wrote.

She feared experiencing postpartum depression and a general loss of control. Then "one day in London, I looked up and found that they had both arrived," she said, brought on by the "sudden public downfall" of her marriage.

The "Wicked" premiere was tough to deal with

The success of "Wicked," which premiered in November, makes it hard to avoid, Jay said. As does the extensive press around it, including a long list of brand collaborations.

Jay said that she still struggles with the reminders. "Days with my son are sunny," she said. "Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Grande has also spoken out about the relationship, referencing Slater in her last album. "It definitely doesn't get any easier," Grande told Vanity Fair in reference to dealing with tabloid rumors. Kristin Chenoweth, who originated Grande's "Wicked" role on Broadway and appeared in the film, also defended Grande. "Nobody ever knows what's going on for real," Chenoweth said.

She said Slater is a present father

Jay and Slater are now co-parenting their son, something Slater described as "an interesting thing to navigate."

Jay said they are both fully committed to being there for their child. "While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," she said. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided."

Despite her unique challenges in early motherhood, Jay said she is optimistic about her future with her son. "Slowly but surely, I have come to believe that in the absence of the life I planned with my high-school sweetheart, a lifetime of sweetness is waiting for me and my child," she said.

• Every year, celebrities try to capitalize on the holiday season by releasing festive music.
• Singers like Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Michael Bublé managed to perfect the cheesy art form.
• Others, like Taylor Swift, CeeLo Green, and Sia, released forgettable or cringeworthy Christmas albums.

The Christmas album is one of music's most storied and cheesy traditions.

While some celebrities have perfected the seasonal art form — either by reviving old classics or putting their own spin on the festive genre — others would've been better off leaving it alone.

Our six favorite and six least favorite examples are cataloged below, with each batch listed in chronological order.

Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" is the only modern Christmas album that can be considered a classic.

Mariah Carey's timeless Christmas album features many covers of classics and three original songs. The star, of course, is "All I Want for Christmas is You," which is so timeless that it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 a full 25 years after its release, and has continued to top the chart every holiday season since.

"There are the classics — the standards that everybody grew up with — and then there are the reinterpretations or new originals," Dave Bakula, a senior analyst for Nielsen Music, told The New York Times. "Mariah lives in that sweet spot of both."

Ariana Grande described "Christmas and Chill" as her "favorite body of work."

Ariana Grande's surprise-released Christmas EP experienced a surge in popularity after she added some of the project's six original songs to her 2019 Sweetener World Tour setlist. That year, it even surpassed "Thank U, Next" as Grande's most-streamed album.

"my favorite body of work," she wrote on Twitter. "she is rising from the dead ! thank u new listeners of christmas n chill and hello everyone that is just now discovering it. i'm so happy."

Grande also praised an analysis of the album by Vulture's Rachel Handler, who described the collection of songs as "surreal" and "extremely horny."

"The first thing you need to know about 'Christmas and Chill' is that, unlike most celebrity Christmas albums, it contains zero covers. Nay, this is an entirely original work; Grande does not perform a playful riff on 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' because she is too busy staying inside, having tons of unhinged sex to a trap beat," Handler wrote. 

Michael Bublé's "Christmas" is his most-loved album.

Michael Bublé's essential Christmas album is entirely comprised of classic covers, from "Jingle Bells" to "Santa Baby" — but "Christmas" actually benefits from Bublé's lack of originality. His rich, Rat Pack-worthy voice is perfectly suited to retain the chestnut-roasting, spirit-brightening, holly-jolly magic of the holiday season.

Justin Bieber's "Under the Mistletoe" is a surprisingly fun listen.

These days, Justin Bieber's brand may not scream "holiday cheer," but his 2011 album "Under the Mistletoe" molds the genre to suit his sound.

Anyone who convinced Busta Rhymes to hop on a delightfully unhinged cover of "Drummer Boy" (Bieber's trap-tinged version features the lyric "Playing for the king, playing for the title / I'm surprised you didn't hear this in the Bible") deserves a spot on this list.

"A Legendary Christmas" is endearingly cheesy, thanks to John Legend's charm.

John Legend's aptly titled "A Legendary Christmas" includes eight covers (including his much-debated woke version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Kelly Clarkson) and six jazzy original tracks, which are equal parts endearing and cheesy. (When it comes to holiday music, cheese is the whole point.)

Legend is ideally suited for this kind of project, which would've fallen flat without the sincerity that defines his voice and brand. "A Legendary Christmas" was even nominated for best traditional pop vocal album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, alongside other legends like Elvis Costello and Barbra Streisand.

Sabrina Carpenter's "Fruitcake" is a fresh and charming take on holiday themes.

Save for the closing track, "White Xmas," Sabrina Carpenter's "Fruitcake" is full of original bops, each equally as catchy as the last.

Much like Grande's EP, "Fruitcake" blends contemporary pop production, wintry innuendos, and Carpenter's signature wit to great effect: "A Nonsense Christmas" is a festive twist on her viral hit, "Buy Me Presents" is a cheeky ode to Santa as the ideal romantic suitor, while "Cindy Lou Who" stands out as the sole genuine tear-jerker.

David Hasselhoff's "The Night Before Christmas" has been widely panned.

Davis Hasselhoff's Christmas album would be endearing if it had leaned into the weirdness (like, why does this exist?). Instead, it's just plain bad. As CBC Music put it so elegantly, the "Baywatch" star's attempt to recreate holiday classics was just "incredibly unnecessary."

Unfortunately, Taylor Swift's "Holiday Collection" is peak cringe.

Taylor Swift was still a teenage country darling when she released "The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection" and botched seasonal favorites like "Last Christmas" and "Silent Night." As Courteney Larocca previously wrote for BI, her "Santa Baby" cover is the EP's worst offender: "It's difficult to listen to her croon about how she's been an 'awful good girl' while trying to flirt her way into a light blue convertible without gagging."

Even though "The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection" features two original songs from this generation's preeminent lyricist ("Christmases When You Were Mine" and "Christmas Must Be Something More"), neither is executed well enough to rescue the experience.

Seth MacFarlane takes himself way too seriously on "Holiday for Swing."

Seth MacFarlane has a surprisingly robust singing voice, but it's hard to separate his brand from "Holiday for Swing" — especially if you associate his vocals with Brian, the talking dog from "Family Guy." The album barely reimagines any of its holiday classics and takes itself way too seriously for MacFarlane's boyish comedy instincts.

"CeeLo's Magic Moment" is underwhelming and unnecessary.

"CeeLo's Magic Moment" was an obvious extension of CeeLo Green's rebrand as the family-friendly coach on NBC's "The Voice," a much duller version of the iconic Gnarls Barkley singer who once gave us transcendent jazz-pop-funk fusion hits like "Crazy."

As a result, "CeeLo's Magic Moment" comes across as forced and contrived. 

Sia's "Everyday is Christmas" is underwritten and forgettable.

Do you remember (or even know) that Sia released a Christmas album within the last decade?

The powerhouse singer tried to infuse a bit of tropical funk into the holiday season with "Everyday is Christmas," but it just doesn't work the way she clearly intended. As Katherine St. Asaph wrote for Pitchfork, the album "feels inconsistent and underwritten, like opening a gift where someone's forgotten to remove the tags."

Gwen Stefani's "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" is the antithesis of cool.

Making holiday music is always a bit of a risk; it usually reeks of a cash grab, rather than a serious artistic pursuit. That can be a death knell for pop stars who already have to fight against that anti-artistic stereotype.

Such is the case for Gwen Stefani, who used to make albums like "Return of Saturn" and "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." but now makes flavorless country-pop about being married.

For many fans, Stefani's fourth solo album, "You Make It Feel Like Christmas," punctuated her unfortunate fall from the cool-girl pedestal. The album bears no hint of personality or idiosyncratic spin — just Stefani delivering the billionth faithful rendition of "Jingle Bells" and dueting with her husband, Blake Shelton, on the cookie-cutter title track.

• "Wicked" adapts the first half of the Broadway musical of the same name.
• Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, it was a massive undertaking with a reported $160 million budget.
• Here are some of the behind-the-scenes details and stories that were part of the making of the film.

Warning: Some "Wicked" spoilers ahead.

"Wicked," the film adaptation of one of the longest-running Broadway musicals of all time, was understandably a major undertaking.

The movie, directed by Jon M. Chu ("In The Heights"), only tackles the first half of the stage musical in its two-hour and 41-minute runtime ("Wicked" part two is set to hit theaters in 2025). Depicting Elphaba and Glinda's school years and creating the world of Oz required major practical sets, some insurance fears, and of course, lots of green paint.

With a reported $160 million budget, "Wicked" had a stellar opening weekend at the global box office to the tune of $164.2 million. Needless to say, people are loving "Wicked" and all its fun easter eggs.

Here are some of the behind-the-scenes details and filming secrets from the making of "Wicked," part one.

The cast sang live on the set of 'Wicked.'

Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and the rest of the cast decided to sing live on set, and that's the audio that you hear in the film itself.

Ariana Grande didn't remember saying 'RIGHT!' during 'Popular.'

In Grande's version of "Popular," she enthusiastically yells "Right!" in response to Erivo's Elphaba finishing one of her sentences. The moment, which is a departure from Chenoweth's delivery on the original cast recording, has gone viral on social media.

Grande, however, didn't remember delivering it on set, she revealed on TikTok.

'Popular' was filmed with a piano accompanist.

Chu told The New York Times that given that "Wicked's" vocals were recorded live, the production filmed "Popular" with a pianist on set.

Having a live accompanist meant that Grande could play with tempo in her performance, rather than having to adhere to a pre-recorded instrumental track.

Erivo did her own stunts.

Elphaba loops around in the sky during "Defying Gravity" — and Erivo did so herself on set, flying through the air on wires while in costume.

"How can you hire an actor that does their own stunts, amazing acting, sings, and then you integrate all three of those things together and land it over, and over, and over, and over, and over again?" Chu said in a behind-the-scenes video.

Grande also did stunts in 'Wicked.'

In "Popular," there's a moment where Grande swings around on a chandelier. On "The Tonight Show," she shared footage of her doing the stunt with Erivo and a stunt coordinator.

"One of our stunt coordinators was standing in the room just to make sure that I didn't break all of my limbs," Grande said. "He was standing in the corner really stoically and bravely, and my foot just kind of almost breaks his face."

Cynthia Erivo chose to be painted green rather than using CGI.

In a video uploaded to the "Wicked" Instagram account, Erivo said that she was given the choice to either be painted green, or have the color applied in post-production.

"I wanted to look back at a reflection and see a green woman in front of me. I really wanted for her skin to feel textured. When you look at it, there's freckles, and there's tone, and shade, just like skin should be. She has these green eyes that come from the genetic makeup of who she is, and it isn't just on her, it's in her," Erivo said.

Erivo also wore fake ears on set to cover her piercings.

Erivo has multiple piercings in her ears. Rather than cover them up individually, the production team just opted to give her new ears entirely.

"I have a million piercings, so they brought in a prosthetic artist, who created basically a shell for my ears — those aren't my ears!" she told Elle.

Grande and Erivo spent five hours together when they first met.

The actors told Deadline that they wanted to deliberately build their friendship and "take care of each other," as Grande said.

"The first time we met was at my house," Erivo said. "We sat and chatted for a good few hours — five — and I think we just saw each other immediately. It was really easy. We didn't have to think about it, we were just there and that has continued."

Grande and Erivo both had COVID the week before their respective biggest numbers.

The actors told The New York Times that they each got COVID once on set. For Grande, it was the week before "Popular," Glinda's biggest, mostly solo number. Erivo had it the week before she shot "Defying Gravity," the climax of the first film.

Grande and Erivo got matching tattoos.

The stars got multiple "Wicked"-themed tattoos, including matching "For Good" tattoos on their palms, poppies on their hands, and hearts on their legs. Each actor also has individual tattoos, such as a broom and hat for Erivo.

The pair gave a tour of their matching tattoos on "The Kelly Clarkson Show."

The 'tornado wheel' in 'Dancing Through Life' was almost deemed too dangerous.

The wheel setpiece has three different rotating pieces, each with a ladder cutting across the middle. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chu called the set "very dangerous" — to the extent that the production's insurance was not keen on allowing it.

"I wasn't sure they were gonna allow Jonathan Bailey in the tornado wheel because of safety. Which makes sense, because this is, he needs to carry on. We can't injure our Fiyero," choreographer Christopher Scott told EW.

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth said they changed their character descriptions.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chenoweth and Menzel — the original Glinda and Elphaba — spoke about how they were asked to be in the film.

"We both texted, and she said, 'Have you seen the description of us in the movie?' And it was like, it didn't say 'old, decrepit,'" Chenoweth said. "It said something like that. But then we changed it and we said, 'No, we're not going to be those wise men.'"

"Can't we just be beautiful fairy goddesses?" Menzel said.

"We might have had that one part changed," Chenoweth said. "Just that one."

Kristin Chenoweth got Ariana Grande matching Glinda jackets.

Chenoweth posted several photos of herself and Grande wearing the matching painted pink jackets on Instagram.

"Leading my babygirl down the yellow brick road," she captioned the post. "I surprised @arianagrande with these jackets on set at @wickedmovie… a little physical memento of our 'passing of the wand.'"

"Wicked" is now playing in theaters.

• Only 82 songs have debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 since the chart was launched in 1958.
• Kendrick Lamar's "Squabble Up" is the most recent song to achieve this feat.
• Listen to the complete playlist on Business Insider's Spotify.

The Billboard Hot 100 is widely considered the definitive all-genre singles chart in the US.

Although it was officially launched in 1958, Billboard began using modern airplay and sales data in 1991 — allowing for more time-sensitive calculations and accurate rankings.

Well over 1,000 songs have reached the coveted No. 1 spot, but it's far more difficult for a song to debut in the top position; it typically means a much-promoted single has met high expectations, or at least that an artist is supported and beloved by a legion of fans.

Keep reading for a complete list of instant chart-toppers throughout history.

1. "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was the first-ever artist to achieve the feat with "You Are Not Alone," which debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 2, 1995.

It was the second single from Jackson's ninth studio album "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I."

2. "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey

"Fantasy" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 30, 1995. It was the lead single from Carey's fifth studio album "Daydream."

3. "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston

"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 25, 1995. It was the lead single from the soundtrack for the film "Waiting to Exhale."

4. "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men

"One Sweet Day" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated December 2, 1995. It was the second single from Carey's fifth studio album "Daydream."

5. "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans, featuring 112

"I'll Be Missing You" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 14, 1997. It was the second single from "No Way Out," the debut album from Diddy, then known as Puff Daddy.

6. "Honey" by Mariah Carey

"Honey" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 13, 1997. It was the lead single from Carey's sixth studio album "Butterfly."

7. "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About The Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John

"Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About The Way You Look Tonight" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 11, 1997. The double A-side single later became the first song ever to be certified diamond.

8. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

"My Heart Will Go On" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 28, 1998.

The famous ballad was written for the soundtrack of "Titanic" and served as the movie's main romantic theme. It was also released as a single from Dion's fifth English-language album "Let's Talk About Love."

9. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith

"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 5, 1998. It was recorded for the film "Armageddon," starring Liv Tyler.

10. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill

"Doo Wop (That Thing)" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 14, 1998. It was the lead single from Hill's debut album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."

11. "This Is the Night" by Clay Aiken

"This Is the Night" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 28, 2003. It was Aiken's debut single after competing on season two of "American Idol."

12. "I Believe" by Fantasia

"I Believe" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 10, 2004. It was Fantasia's debut single after winning season three of "American Idol."

13. "Inside Your Heaven" by Carrie Underwood

"Inside Your Heaven" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 2, 2005. It was Underwood's debut single after winning season four of "American Idol."

Underwood was the first country artist to have a No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100.

14. "Do I Make You Proud" by Taylor Hicks

"Do I Make You Proud" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 1, 2006. Hicks first performed the song on the fifth season finale of "American Idol," and it was released as a single shortly after his victory.

15. "3" by Britney Spears

"3" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 24, 2009. It was the lead (and only) single from Spears' second greatest hits album "The Singles Collection."

16. "Not Afraid" by Eminem

"Not Afraid" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 22, 2010. It was the lead single from Eminem's seventh studio album "Recovery."

17. "We R Who We R" by Ke$ha

"We R Who We R" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 13, 2010. It was the lead single from Kesha's debut EP "Cannibal."

18. "Hold It Against Me" by Britney Spears

"Hold It Against Me" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 29, 2011. It was the lead single from Spears' seventh studio album "Femme Fatale."

19. "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga

"Born This Way" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 26, 2011. It was the lead single from Gaga's second studio album of the same name.

20. "Part Of Me" by Katy Perry

"Part of Me" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 3, 2012. It was the lead single from "Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection," a reissue of Perry's third studio album.

21. "Harlem Shake" by Baauer

"Harlem Shake" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 2, 2013.

The viral hit benefited from a recent adjustment to the Hot 100's formula, when the chart began incorporating YouTube data. The chart methodology is updated at least once a year, to reflect rapidly evolving listening trends. (YouTube song user-generated content was later removed from chart calculations in 2020.)

22. "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift

"Shake It Off" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 6, 2014. It was the lead single from Swift's fifth studio album "1989."

23. "What Do You Mean?" by Justin Bieber

"What Do You Mean?" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 19, 2015. It was the lead single from Bieber's fourth studio album "Purpose."

24. "Hello" by Adele

"Hello" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 14, 2015. It was the lead single from Adele's third studio album "25."

25. "Pillowtalk" by Zayn

"Pillowtalk" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 20, 2016. It was the lead single from Zayn's debut solo album "Mind of Mine."

26. "Can't Stop the Feeling!" by Justin Timberlake

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 28, 2016. It was the lead single for the soundtrack of the film "Trolls."

27. "Shape Of You" by Ed Sheeran

"Shape of You" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 28, 2017. It was one of the lead singles, along with "Castle on the Hill," from Sheeran's third studio album "Divide."

28. "I'm The One" by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne

"I'm the One" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 20, 2017. It was the second single from Khaled's 10th studio album "Grateful."

29. "God's Plan" by Drake

"God's Plan" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 3, 2018. It was the lead single from Drake's fifth studio album "Scorpion."

30. "Nice for What" by Drake

"Nice for What" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 21, 2018. It was the second single from "Scorpion."

31. "This Is America" by Childish Gambino

"This Is America" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 19, 2018. It was released as a standalone single.

32. "Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande

"Thank U, Next" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 17, 2018. It was the lead single from Grande's fifth studio album of the same name.

33. "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande

"7 Rings" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 2, 2019. It was the second single from "Thank U, Next."

34. "Sucker" by the Jonas Brothers

"Sucker" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 16, 2019. It was the lead single from the Jonas Brothers' fifth studio album "Happiness Begins."

35. "Highest In The Room" by Travis Scott

"Highest in the Room" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 19, 2019. It was featured on "JackBoys," a compilation EP by Scott and other members of his label.

36. "Toosie Slide" by Drake

"Toosie Slide" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 18, 2020. It was the lead single from Drake's compilation mixtape "Dark Lane Demo Tapes."

37. "The Scotts" by The Scotts

"The Scotts" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 9, 2020. It was the debut single from newly formed hip-hop duo The Scotts, aka Travis Scott and Kid Cudi.

38. "Stuck With U" by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber

"Stuck With U" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 23, 2020. It was released as a charity single to raise money for the First Responders Children's Foundation.

39. "Rain On Me" by Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande

"Rain On Me" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 6, 2020. It was the second single from Gaga's sixth studio album "Chromatica."

40. "Trollz" by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj

"Trollz" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 27, 2020. It became the fifth No. 1 debut in 2020 alone, marking a new single-year high.

41. "Cardigan" by Taylor Swift

"Cardigan" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 8, 2020 — the same week as its parent album "Folklore" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Swift the first artist ever to debut at No. 1 on both charts in the same week.

"Folklore" received less than 24 hours' promotion before its release at midnight on July 24. The music video for "Cardigan" arrived at the same time.

42. "WAP" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion

"WAP" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 22, 2020. It was Cardi B's first single since 2019's "Press" and became her fourth career No. 1.

The raunchy song also became the fourth all-female collaboration to hit No. 1 in 2020 — and just the ninth in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 — while setting a new record for first-week streams with 93 million.

43. "Dynamite" by BTS

"Dynamite," the septet's first all-English-language single, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 5, 2020.

BTS is the first all-South Korean group to top the Hot 100.

44. "Franchise" by Travis Scott featuring Young Thug and M.I.A.

"Franchise" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 10, 2020.

It became Scott's third single to debut on top in less than a year — following "Highest in the Room" and "The Scotts" — setting a new record for "the fastest accumulation of three No. 1 entrances by any artist in the Hot 100's history.

It's Scott's fourth No. 1 song overall, Young Thug's second, and M.I.A.'s first.

45. "Positions" by Ariana Grande

"Positions" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 7, 2020. It was the lead single from Grande's sixth studio album of the same name.

Grande made history as the first artist with three No. 1 Hot 100 debuts in a single calendar year.

46. "Life Goes On" by BTS

"Life Goes On" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated December 5, 2020, the same week as its parent album "Be" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — making BTS the second artist in history to debut at No. 1 on both charts simultaneously, mere months after Swift became the first.

47. "Willow" by Taylor Swift

"Willow" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated December 26, 2020 — the same week as its parent album "Evermore" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Swift became the first artist in history to debut on top of both charts simultaneously — twice.

She previously became the first artist to do so with "Folklore," less than five months previously.

"Willow" was also the 12th song in 2020 to arrive on the chart in its top position, handily setting a single-year record.

48. "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo

"Drivers License," Olivia Rodrigo's official debut single, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 23, 2021.

At just 17 years old, the Disney Channel star is the youngest solo artist in history to arrive atop the Hot 100. The record was previously held by Fantasia, who was 20 when "I Believe" debuted at No. 1. 

49. "What's Next" by Drake

"What's Next" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 20, 2021.

The rapper became the first artist in history to have three songs arrive in the Hot 100's top three simultaneously. "What's Next" was joined by "Wants and Needs," featuring Lil Baby, at No. 2 and "Lemon Pepper Freestyle," featuring Rick Ross, at No. 3.

50. "Peaches" by Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

"Peaches" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 3, 2021. It was the fifth single from Bieber's sixth studio album "Justice," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 the same week, and the singer's fourth instant chart-topper.

51. "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" by Lil Nas X

"Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 10, 2021. It was the lead single from Lil Nas X's debut studio album "Montero."

52. "Rapstar" by Polo G

"Rapstar" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 24, 2021. It was the third single from Polo G's third album "Hall of Fame."

53. "Good 4 U" by Olivia Rodrigo

"Good 4 U" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 29, 2021. It was the third single from Rodrigo's debut studio album "Sour."

54. "Butter" by BTS

"Butter," the second all-English single from BTS, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated June 5, 2021.

55. "Permission to Dance" by BTS

"Permission to Dance" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 24, 2021, giving BTS their fourth instant chart-topper in less than one year.

56. "Way 2 Sexy" by Drake featuring Future and Young Thug

"Way 2 Sexy" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 18, 2021. It was the lead single from Drake's sixth studio album "Certified Lover Boy," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 the same week.

57. "My Universe" by Coldplay and BTS

"My Universe" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 9, 2021. It was the second single from Coldplay's ninth studio album "Music of the Spheres."

Thanks to their feature, BTS tied Grande for the second-most No. 1 debuts in history (five).

58. "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

"All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 27, 2021.

It was released alongside Taylor Swift's rerecorded album "Red (Taylor's Version)," which simultaneously debuted atop the Billboard 200.

"All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" was included on the updated "Red" tracklist in two different iterations: its original five-minute length, as well the long-awaited 10-minute version, both of which are combined into one listing on Billboard's charts.

At 10 minutes and 13 seconds long, "All Too Well" is officially the longest No. 1 hit of all time.

The record was previously held by Don McLean's 1972 hit "American Pie (Parts I & II)," which clocked in at 8 minutes and 37 seconds.

59. "As It Was" by Harry Styles

"As It Was" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 16, 2022. It was released as the lead single from Styles' third solo album "Harry's House."

The song dropped out of first place in its second week of tracking, but returned to the No. 1 spot for 15 nonconsecutive weeks, setting a new record for a British performer.

60. "First Class" by Jack Harlow

"First Class" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 23, 2022. It was released as the second single from Harlow's sophomore album "Come Home the Kids Miss You."

61. "Wait For U" by Future featuring Drake and Tems

"Wait For U" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 14, 2022. It was released as the seventh track on Future's album "I Never Liked You."

62. "Jimmy Cooks" by Drake featuring 21 Savage

"Jimmy Cooks" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 2, 2022. It was released alongside Drake's album "Honestly, Nevermind," which also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

63. "Super Freaky Girl" by Nicki Minaj

"Super Freaky Girl" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 27, 2022.

64. "Anti-Hero" by Taylor Swift

"Anti-Hero" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 5, 2022.

It was released alongside Taylor Swift's 10th studio album "Midnights," which also arrived atop the Billboard 200 — making Swift the first and only artist in history to debut at No. 1 on both charts simultaneously on four separate occasions.

Swift also became the first artist in history to debut 10 songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, as "Anti-Hero" was joined by nine fellow tracks from "Midnights."

65. "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus

"Flowers" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 28, 2023. It was released as the lead single from Cyrus' eighth album "Endless Summer Vacation."

66. "Like Crazy" by Jimin

"Like Crazy" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 8, 2023, making Jimin the first South Korean soloist to top the Hot 100. (He previously achieved the feat as a member of BTS.)

67. "Vampire" by Olivia Rodrigo

"Vampire" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 15, 2023. It was released as the lead single from Rodrigo's sophomore album "Guts."

Rodrigo is now the only artist in history to have both lead singles ("Drivers License" and "Vampire") from her first two albums ("Sour" and "Guts," respectively) arrive in the chart's top position.

68. "Seven" by Jung Kook featuring Latto

"Seven" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated July 29, 2023, making Jung Kook the second member of BTS to have a chart-topping solo hit.

69. "Rich Men North of Richmond" by Oliver Anthony Music

"Rich Men North of Richmond," Oliver Anthony Music's breakout single, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated August 26, 2023.

The controversial country singer is the first artist to achieve the feat without any previous entries on a Billboard chart.

70. "I Remember Everything" by Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves

"I Remember Everything" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 9, 2023. It was released on Bryan's self-titled album, which simultaneously arrived atop the Billboard 200.

71. "Slime You Out" by Drake featuring SZA

"Slime You Out" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated September 30, 2023. It was released as the lead single for Drake's eighth studio album "For All the Dogs."

72. "First Person Shooter" by Drake featuring J. Cole

"First Person Shooter" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 21, 2023. It was released alongside "For All the Dogs," which simultaneously debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Drake holds the record for the most No. 1 song debuts in history, with nine to his name.

73. "Is It Over Now?" by Taylor Swift

"Is It Over Now?" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 11, 2023.

The vault track from "1989 (Taylor's Version)" dethroned Swift's own "Cruel Summer," which had reigned for two weeks. (It later returned to the summit for two more weeks.)

Swift is the only woman ever to replace herself atop the Hot 100; she previously achieved the feat in 2014 with the original "1989," when "Blank Space" climbed the chart to replace "Shake It Off."

74. "Yes, And?" by Ariana Grande

"Yes, And?" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated January 27, 2024. It was released as the lead single for Grande's seventh album "Eternal Sunshine."

75. "Hiss" by Megan Thee Stallion

"Hiss" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated February 10, 2024.

76. "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" by Ariana Grande

"We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 23, 2024. It was released as the second single from "Eternal Sunshine," which simultaneously arrived atop the Billboard 200.

The song marked Grande's seventh instant chart-topper, the most among women and second-most in history.

77. "Like That" by Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar

"Like That" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated April 6, 2024.

78. "Fortnight" by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone

"Fortnight" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 4, 2024. It was released as the lead single from Swift's 11th studio album "The Tortured Poets Department."

The Post Malone duet earned 76.2 million streams in its first week, breaking the record previously set by Rodrigo with "Drivers License" (76.1 million), according to Billboard.

Swift is now tied with Grande for the second-most No. 1 debuts of any artist in history (seven apiece), while Drake holds the all-time record.

79. "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

"Not Like Us" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 18, 2024.

The diss track was released amid a heated feud with Drake, ignited by Lamar's verse on "Like That."

Another of Lamar's anti-Drake songs, "Euphoria," appeared on the same chart at No. 3, while Drake's response, "Family Matters," debuted at No. 7.

80. "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen

"I Had Some Help" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated May 25, 2024.

The country duet is Malone's second song to arrive in the top spot after "Fortnight" — both within the same month — and his sixth No. 1 song overall.

As for Wallen, "I Had Some Help" marks his second Hot 100 leader after "Last Night" charted at No. 1 for 16 weeks in 2023, setting a record for a solo song.

81. "Love Somebody" by Morgan Wallen

"Love Somebody" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated November 2, 2024, becoming Wallen's second song to arrive in the top spot and third No. 1 hit overall.

82. "Squabble Up" by Kendrick Lamar

"Squabble Up" debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated December 7, 2024, making Kendrick Lamar the first solo male artist in history with three instant chart-toppers in a single year.

The song was released alongside Lamar's "GNX," which also arrived atop the Billboard 200.

• "Wicked" adapts the first act of the 2003 Broadway musical.
• The film, which stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, references that show and "The Wizard of Oz."
• Here are details, references, and easter eggs you may have missed in the movie.

The "Wicked" movie is a revelation — and it's full of references to "The Wizard of Oz" and the original "Wicked" Broadway show that came before it.

The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, adapts the first act of the 2003 musical written by Winnie Holzman with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. That show, which itself is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire's novel imagining a backstory for the Wicked Witch of the West, follows the magically inclined, green-skinned Elphaba and her school enemy-turned-best friend Glinda. Those roles were originated by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth on Broadway, and in the film, they're played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

The impressive "Wicked" box office numbers prove it's hitting with multiple generations of fans who love all those adaptations. In its opening weekend, the film earned an estimated $164.2 million worldwide.

The film has plenty of easter eggs for fans of the "Wicked" Broadway musical (you'll hear some familiar act two musical cues) and those with only a surface-level understanding of Oz. We've rounded up some details and references that you may have missed in the film.

There are multiple rainbows in the film, nodding to 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'

"Wicked" pays its thematic due to the most iconic song from "The Wizard of Oz," invoking rainbows multiple times. You can see one in an early shot, in the pattern of the tulips that the Munchkin children run through heralding Elphaba's death, and again during Elphaba's run through a field in "The Wizard and I."

The title card is a reference to 'The Wizard of Oz'

There's been some controversy on social media over bad movie theater etiquette after people started taking photos of the "Wicked" title card in theaters. The whimsical, curly font is a reference to the original title card for "The Wizard of Oz."

The film includes multiple musical cues that reference 'For Good'

"Wicked" basically uses the opening notes of "For Good," an Elphaba and Glinda duet in act two of the musical, as shorthand for their developing relationship throughout the film.

There's a great example of this on the "Wicked" soundtrack, at the 0:06 minute mark of "Dear Old Shiz" after someone asks Glinda if she and Elphaba were friends.

Nessarose's silver slippers have tornado heels

Elphaba and Nessarose's father presents Nessa with a pair of silver heels. The shoes, which eventually pass to Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," are silver as they were originally in L. Frank Baum's novel. However, they're presented in a ruby case — similar to the 1939 movie.

The heels also have a swirling tornado pattern at the heel, referencing Nessa's eventual demise when Dorothy's house falls on her after getting picked up in a cyclone.

There's another pair of red slippers in the film, though

During "Popular," Glinda pulls out a pair of shining, ruby-red slippers, a reference to the ones Dorothy wears in "The Wizard of Oz."

Glinda is backlit with a halo during 'What Is This Feeling'

When Glinda sings the lyric, "These things are sent to try us," she stands in front of a door with a circular window. When she centers her head in front of it, the light coming through the window turns golden.

Jonathan Bailey rides a familiar horse in 'Wicked'

Bailey apparently got to make one casting request for "Wicked": he wanted to bring along his favorite horse.

"I knew there was only one man for the job, and that was Jack the horse that I worked with in 'Bridgerton,'" Bailey said on "Late Night with Seth Meyers."

One shot of Elphaba resembles the original Broadway poster

When Elphaba puts on her black hat at the Oz Dust Ballroom, it briefly shadows her eyes and obscures part of her face. The shot mimics the original poster for the Broadway musical, in which the top half of Elphaba's face is covered.

Unlike the poster, however, Erivo's Elphaba isn't smiling in the moment.

Fiyero being unaffected by Elphaba's poppies is foreshadowing

Big spoilers for part two if you're not up to date on the original musical, but through a series of unfortunate events, Fiyero eventually turns into the Scarecrow.

Like the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz," Fiyero does not succumb to the sleep-inducing effects of the poppies. Instead, he helps Elphaba spirit away the lion cub from their classroom.

As a bonus — that lion cub will eventually grow up to be the Cowardly Lion from "The Wizard of Oz."

Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth aren't the only Emerald City cameos

It'd be extremely difficult to miss Menzel and Chenoweth's meaty cameos during the "Wiz-O-Mania" sequence that takes place in the Emerald City. There are two others you may have missed, however: writer Winnie Holzman and composer Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the Broadway musical. Schwartz also has an iconic line during the sequence: "The Wizard will see you now."

"It took a lot of convincing to get them into this movie because they resisted it," director Jon M. Chu told Entertainment Weekly. "I was like, 'You guys have to be in this.' We didn't know where, and then once Stephen wrote that section to Wiz-O-Mania, it became very clear that Stephen had to do, 'The Wizard will see you now.'"

Also, Idina Menzel does her iconic 'Defying Gravity'

If you're even a surface-level "Wicked" fan, you probably didn't miss this one. In case you did, you can hear her do it at about the 4:00 minute mark of "One Short Day" on the film's soundtrack.

The Wizard hologram says 'Omaha' because, canonically, he's from Nebraska

During the "Wiz-O-Mania" presentation in the Emerald City, a hologram of the Wizard pretends to read the Grimmerie, the magical text of Oz. To do so, he just says the word "Omaha" a few times.

He is indeed referencing Omaha, Nebraska — because that's where the Wizard is from.

There are crates and posters nodding to the Wizard's old life

In the attic set used in "Defying Gravity," there are posters referencing the "Wise and Magnificent Oscar Diggs." In the above behind-the-scenes shot, you can see crates with the same text, and others that say, "Omaha, NE."

That is the Wizard's real name — and back in Nebraska, he was a magician.

There's a lyric change in 'Defying Gravity'

In the Broadway musical, the chorus sings, "Look at her, she's wicked — get her!"

But in the movie, things are more grave. The chorus sings, "Look at her, she's wicked — kill her!"

"Wicked" is now in theaters.

• Eighteen different songs have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024.
• Kendrick Lamar has three hits on the list, the most of any artist.
• "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey had the longest run with 19 weeks atop the chart.

The Billboard Hot 100 is widely considered to be the definitive all-genre chart for songs in the US.

Although it offers only one way to measure popularity, earning Billboard's highest rank is a notable achievement in an artist's career, whether it's a predictable No. 1 debut like Taylor Swift's "Fortnight", a new star's coronation like Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please," or a surprise indie leader like Hozier's "Too Sweet."

Like last year, when Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean, and Zach Bryan scaled the chart, country music continues to resonate far beyond Nashville; after Shaboozey was featured on Beyoncé's No. 1 album "Cowboy Carter," which also spawned a No. 1 song, he went on to dominate the Hot 100 with his own breakout hit.

Ariana Grande, Post Malone, and Wallen have also enjoyed massive commercial success this year, earning two chart-toppers on the Hot 100 apiece. Kendrick Lamar has three, setting a record for the most among solo male artists in a single calendar year.

Below is a list of every song that took the top spot in 2024, in chronological order of the original peak date.

1. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee

It took 65 years for Brenda Lee's holiday classic to climb the Hot 100, finally reaching No. 1 in December 2023.

As the holiday season came to a close, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" remained atop the chart for the first week of the new year.

2. "Lovin On Me" by Jack Harlow

"Lovin On Me" originally topped the Hot 100 for one week at the end of 2023, but proved to have staying power when it returned to No. 1 after the holiday surge.

This year, the song collected five more nonconsecutive weeks at the summit, becoming Jack Harlow's biggest hit to date.

3. "Yes, And?" by Ariana Grande

"Yes, And?" was released as the lead single from Ariana Grande's latest album "Eternal Sunshine." It debuted at No. 1 in January.

4. "Hiss" by Megan Thee Stallion

"Hiss" was released as the second single from Megan Thee Stallion's third album "Megan." It debuted at No. 1 in February.

5. "Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyoncé

Beyoncé surprise-released a pair of singles, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," during the 2024 Super Bowl.

The former debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100, then rose to No. 1 after its first full week of tracking. (Billboard tracks sales and streams from Friday to Thursday.) The song remained atop the chart for a second consecutive week.

"Texas Hold 'Em" also reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, becoming the first song by a Black artist to hold both positions.

6. "Carnival" by ¥$ featuring Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti

"Carnival" was released as a single from "Vultures 1," the first collaborative album by Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Ty Dolla $ign. It rose from No. 2 to No. 1 for one week in March.

7. "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" by Ariana Grande

"We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" was released as the second single from "Eternal Sunshine." It debuted at No. 1 in March, becoming Grande's seventh song to arrive in the chart's top position.

Grande is tied with Taylor Swift for the most No. 1 song debuts among women and the second-most ever, trailing only Drake.

8. "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims

"Lose Control" was originally released in June 2023 and debuted at No. 99 on the Hot 100.

The soul-rock ballad gradually gained traction and broke into the top five by the end of January.

In late March, Teddy Swims released two new versions of the song: a Tiësto remix and a radio edit. That boosted streaming numbers, which helped "Lose Control" finally reach No. 1 after a 32-week climb.

It was eventually crowned as Billboard's top-performing hit of 2024, while Taylor Swift was named the year's top Hot 100 artist.

9. "Like That" by Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar

"Like That" was released as a single from "We Don't Trust You," a collaborative album by Future and Metro Boomin. It debuted at No. 1 and remained atop the chart for two more consecutive weeks.

It also ignited an explosive rap feud between Kendrick Lamar, who's featured on the hit song, and Drake, whom Lamar alludes to in the lyrics.

10. "Too Sweet" by Hozier

"Too Sweet" was released as the first track and only single from Hozier's EP "Unheard," a small collection of songs that had been scrapped from his previous album.

"Too Sweet" debuted at No. 5 in April and topped the chart later that month, becoming the Irish rocker's first No. 1 song on the Hot 100. (Hozier's breakout hit, 2013's "Take Me to Church," peaked at No. 2.)

11. "Fortnight" by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone

"Fortnight" was released as the opening track on Taylor Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," and promoted as the lead single.

When the song debuted at No. 1, it was accompanied by every other track from the album — 31 in total, plus "Cruel Summer," a straggler hit from 2019 — setting a record among women for the most songs charting on the Hot 100 simultaneously.

Swift's songs also occupied the entire top 10 of the Hot 100. (She is the only artist ever to achieve that feat, and she's now done it twice.)

"Fortnight" remained atop the Hot 100 for a second consecutive week.

12. "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

"Not Like Us," a scathing diss track aimed at Drake, was released as a standalone single in May. It debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, giving Lamar a clear leg-up in their battle.

After the music video premiere in July, "Not Like Us" returned to No. 1 for a second nonconsecutive week.

13. "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen

"I Had Some Help" was released as the lead single from Post Malone's sixth studio album, "F-1 Trillion."

The song debuted at No. 1 in May and remained atop the chart for five consecutive weeks. After a brief interruption by Sabrina Carpenter, it returned for one more week.

14. "Please Please Please" by Sabrina Carpenter

"Please Please Please" was released as the second single from Sabrina Carpenter's sixth studio album, "Short n' Sweet." It debuted at No. 2 in June but quickly rose to the top spot, becoming Carpenter's first No. 1 song.

While massively popular, the song's predecessor, "Espresso," never managed to rise past No. 3 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reign atop the Billboard Global 200 for three weeks (a worldwide tally, as opposed to the Hot 100's US-focused formula) and was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA as of September 6, 2024.

Both songs were joined by another of Carpenter's singles, "Taste," in the top 10 of the Hot 100 for eight weeks this year — the longest streak for three simultaneous top-10 hits in history among female artists.

15. "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey

"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" was released as a single from Shaboozey's third studio album, "Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going."

It became a country-pop crossover smash, topping both Hot Country Songs and the Hot 100 in July — the second song in history by a Black artist to do so, following Beyoncé with "Texas Hold 'Em."

"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" has continued to dominate the Hot 100, accumulating 19 nonconsecutive weeks atop the chart. It's the longest-leading solo hit in Hot 100 history and tied with "Old Town Road" for the all-time record.

16. "Love Somebody" by Morgan Wallen

"Love Somebody" managed to briefly interrupt Shaboozey's reign when it was released in October, debuting atop the Hot 100 before falling to No. 8 in its second week.

17. "Squabble Up" by Kendrick Lamar

"Squabble Up" was released as the second track on Kendrick Lamar's "GNX" and promoted as the album's lead single.

It debuted at No. 1 in the first week of December, accompanied by four other songs from "GNX" in the chart's top five.

18. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was originally released in 1994 and didn't reach No. 1 for 25 years.

The song finally topped the Hot 100 in 2019, and since then, it has returned to the peak position for multiple weeks every December.

In 2024, "All I Want for Christmas Is You" experienced another seasonal resurgence and spent two more weeks at No. 1, bringing the song's grand total to 16 weeks atop the chart.

• The first part of the two-part adaptation of "Wicked" premiered on November 22.
• It's already raking in millions at the box office and earned positive reviews.
• It's the latest in a long line of theatrical films based on Broadway musicals.

The movie musical has long been a mainstay of Hollywood, though it's been over two decades since one won best picture at the Academy Awards.

That might change this year with the release of "Wicked," which has a 90% critics score and 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. "Wicked" made $164 million, setting a record for the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway show.

While some movie musicals have earned praise and raked in profits, not all have. It can be difficult to balance honoring the original work with adding new ideas and songs to the story.

Here are some of the best movies based on musicals — and some of the worst.

These are the 15 of the best musicals that have been turned into movies.

The movie musical has always been a huge part of Hollywood, but in recent years, it's been a bit of a rough road. A movie musical hasn't won best picture at the Academy Awards in over 20 years, since "Chicago" in 2003.

Thankfully, "Wicked" seems to be turning the tide, earning rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

Including "Wicked," here are 15 of the best musicals-turned-movies.

"Wicked Part One" (2024)

People have been trying to make a film adaptation of "Wicked" happen since at least 2010, Deadline reported. The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2003, is the fourth-longest-running musical in Broadway history.

While it's certainly been a long wait, it was worth it. "Wicked Part One" is a faithful adaptation of the musical's first act. Every song you love is there, lovingly recreated and performed by actors Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and more.

The scope of the musical has been leveled up using practical sets, hundreds of dancers, and well-placed CGI.

Any fan of "Wicked" should be pleased by this film — and don't be shocked if it ends up picking up a few Oscar nominations.

Next up: "Wicked Part Two," out November 21, 2025.

"Chicago" (2002)

Based on the 1975 stage musical about two murderous women directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, "Chicago" remains an important, beloved, and most importantly, meme-able film.

"They both reached for the gun" was inescapable on TikTok this year, 22 years after the film's release.

"Chicago" onstage is a relatively bare-bones production — the set is all black and brought to life with dancers. The film adaptation completely changes this, bringing all the iconic locations like the Cook County Jail, the courthouse, and numerous jazz clubs to roaring life.

Performances by Catherine Zeta-Jones (who won an Oscar for best supporting actress), Renée Zellweger (nominated for best actress), Richard Gere, John C. Reilly (nominated for best supporting actor), and Queen Latifah (nominated for best supporting actress) all helped make this movie the awards and box-office juggernaut it became.

In total, it won five Oscars from 13 nominations (including best picture) and grossed over $300 million worldwide.

"Cabaret" (1972)

"Cabaret" — another Bob Fosse musical — was a contender for best picture of 1972 at the Oscars.

It didn't win, but it did take home eight statues, including best director for Fosse, best actress for Liza Minnelli, and best supporting actor for Joel Grey.

"Cabaret," which is based on a 1966 musical, has themes that still resonate today. The plot focuses on the events in and surrounding the Kit Kat Klub, a cabaret nightclub in Berlin in the late 1920s. As Nazi fascism begins its rise to power outside the walls, performers and guests can pretend that everything will be OK inside the Kit Kat Klub.

The movie makes significant changes from the musical, excluding whole plots and characters, but it doesn't detract from its power. The most significant change is the addition of the song "Maybe This Time," sung by Minnelli as Kit Kat performer Sally Bowles. The song has become an iconic theater staple and has even been added to every subsequent revival of the show.

"Dreamgirls" (2006)

"Dreamgirls" is based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name, which in turn is loosely based on the rise of Diana Ross and the Supremes in the '60s and '70s.

The music is what makes this movie worthy of a watch, with stellar performances by Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé (as Ross), Eddie Murphy (who was nominated for an Oscar), Anika Noni Rose, and, most of all, Jennifer Hudson.

Hudson, who made her acting debut and won an Academy Award for this film, is, to put it lightly, electric. Just watch her performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and try to find any flaws.

"West Side Story" (1961)

The first movie adaptation of the 1957 musical "West Side Story" is not without its faults. Natalie Wood, a white actor, was cast to play Maria, who is Puerto Rican — and she didn't even sing her own songs, she was dubbed over by Marni Nixon. In fact, most of the actors are dubbed over in at least one song.

But the film in its entirety is still breathtaking. Its music (written by Stephen Sondheim), choreography, set design, performances, and cinematography still hold up 63 years later.

And that's all without mentioning the legendary Rita Moreno, who became the first Latina to win an Academy Award for her performance as Anita, a young woman who wants to accept New York City as her new home, but finds it nearly impossible.

"West Side Story" won best picture at the 1962 Academy Awards.

If you can overlook the problematic elements of its time, this film is worth the watch.

"West Side Story" (2021)

The 2021 remake of "West Side Story" may be even better than its predecessor. First of all, the casting of actual Puerto Rican actors cannot be overstated — thank you, Steven Spielberg, for introducing mainstream audiences to Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose.

(DeBose won an Oscar for playing Anita — Anita is only the first character in history to be portrayed in multiple Oscar-winning performances.)

Second, almost everyone in this film has a beautiful voice and fills up the screen — again, thank you, Spielberg, for casting Mike Faist.

This film is not without its controversies either: Ansel Elgort was accused of sexual misconduct in 2020, a year before its release, which he denied.

Still, it's been rightly hailed as one of the best movie musicals of all time and was nominated for best picture at the 2022 Oscars.

"Grease" (1978)

At this point, the film adaptation of "Grease" is more famous than the 1972 stage musical due to the iconic performances of John Travolta, Olivia-Newton, Jeff Conaway, and Stockard Channing.

Plus, the movie cuts out all of the original musical's subpar songs and adds bangers like "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease," and "You're the One That I Want."

"Grease" was so beloved at the time of its release that the soundtrack was the No. 2 bestselling album of the year, according to Billboard.

"The Music Man" (1962)

"The Music Man" is very faithful to its source material: the 1957 stage musical. In fact, the film was directed by Morton DaCosta, who also directed the stage production, which is why it was so similar.

Songs like "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," "The Wells Fargo Wagon," and "Shipoopi" are classics of the stage for a reason, so seeing them on the big screen on a huge scale is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

Moviegoers agreed — it was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1962, according to The Numbers, and was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards.

"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

"Little Shop of Horrors" is an interesting case — it's based on the Off-Broadway musical from 1982, which is turn based on a non-musical film from 1960 titled "The Little Shop of Horrors."

In a cinematic world so filled with CGI, it's satisfying to see the giant puppet of Audrey II (a carnivorous flytrap-esque plant with a taste for humans) interacting with stars Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene.

Director Frank Oz has the absurd tone of this story down perfectly, and the songs by Broadway legends Howard Ashman and Alan Menken hold up today.

"Les Misérables" (2012)

"Les Mis," as it's known by fans, is a musical of epic proportions, spanning decades in 19th-century France. It's based on the 1980 musical of the same name, which has been running in London since 1985. That makes it the longest-running musical in West End history.

This movie has some critics, especially regarding the vocal performance of Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert.

It was a smash success at the box office, grossing $442 million worldwide, and nominated for eight Academy Awards, including a win for Anne Hathaway as Fantine.

"Fiddler on the Roof" (1971)

Seven years after the musical premiered in 1964, a film adaptation of "Fiddler on the Roof" debuted in cinemas and instantly became one of the most beloved movie musicals ever. According to The Numbers, it was the No. 2 film at the box office that year.

Even though this isn't the most universal story — a group of Russian Jews living in a small village in 1902 as they deal with pogroms — the themes of family, growing up, falling in love, religion, and intolerance are still applicable today.

"Hairspray" (2007)

"Hairspray" stars John Travolta, Zac Efron, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Elijah Kelley, James Marsden, Brittany Snow, Christopher Walken, and Nikki Blonsky in the film adaptation of the 2002 musical (which itself was based on n 1988 comedy).

This film is camp at the highest level, and the songs are earworms 17 years later.

It was nominated for three Golden Globes for best comedy/musical, best actress (for Blonsky), and best supporting actor (for Travolta).

"In the Heights" (2021)

"Wicked" isn't the first musical that Jon M. Chu has directed — in 2021, he directed the cinematic adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's first musical, "In the Heights."

While the film was a box-office disappointment (though its release during the pandemic wasn't ideal), this movie was a hit with critics and the people who actually saw it, with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences.

"In the Heights" was a way for more people to see themselves represented in musicals in a non-tragic way — the other most famous musical about Latinos is "West Side Story" which, while great, is fundamentally a tragedy. "In the Heights" is a joyful experience to watch, with love and care for its characters shining out of every frame.

"Funny Girl" (1968)

"Funny Girl" introduced us to Barbra Streisand. Enough said.

Not really, but "Funny Girl's" lasting legacy is, of course, its star. When it premiered on Broadway in 1964, it made Streisand a star of the theater. And four years later, when she reprised the role of comedienne Fanny Brice on the big screen, she won her first Academy Award.

Hey, Mr. Arnstein, indeed.

"Guys and Dolls" (1955)

Even though Marlon Brando can't really sing, the 1955 adaptation of the 1950 musical is delightful.

The other three stars (Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine, and most importantly, Frank Sinatra) more than make up for Brando's lack of talent, and he's so charismatic that we don't mind much anyway.

The viewing public in 1955 agreed. According to Variety, "Guys and Dolls" was the highest-grossing movie of the year.

And now, the worst movie musicals.

Not every movie musical gracefully transfers the magic of live theater to the big screen.

"Cats" (2019)

The main problem with "Cats," based on the 1981 musical, is that it's horrifying to look at. Watching people dressed up as cats onstage makes sense, but trying to actually turn actors into cats onscreen using "digital fur technology" sends viewers headlong into the Uncanny Valley.

The plot of "Cats" is barely comprehensible in the musical, but when transferred to a film, it's even worse. We'd only recommend watching "Cats" if you're in the mood for a laugh.

"Mean Girls" (2024)

There's a lot to be said about the marketing of the "Mean Girls" musical movie. Specifically, it wasn't marketed as a musical, leaving people to think that a studio was (unnecessarily) remaking the 2004 film.

Instead, this is a movie adaptation of the 2017 musical, which itself is based on the 2004 version.

Frankly, the music in this isn't all that good. Reneé Rapp, of course, is wonderful as Regina George, but the rest of the cast is largely forgettable, and the production changes made from stage to screen upset some fans.

"Into the Woods" (2014)

This is the first movie musical on this list to star James Corden, though it won't be the last. "Into the Woods," perhaps Stephen Sondheim's most well-known musical after "West Side Story," originally premiered on Broadway in 1987.

The original cast was recorded and that performance is available to stream, which we'd highly recommend instead of this adaptation.

The biggest issue, again, is that the actors simply don't have the vocal chops. Corden, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Billy Magnussen, and Johnny Depp are all decently talented singers, but Sondheim's music is notoriously difficult for even the most skilled singers.

"Dear Evan Hansen" (2021)

It was a rough day to be Ben Platt, the titular Evan Hansen, when the trailer for this film dropped on the internet. Jokes were flying about his age (he was 28 playing a 17-year-old), his wig, and the content of the movie, which has been relatively controversial since the musical premiered in 2015.

Platt's performance onstage was critically acclaimed and earned him a Tony Award, but the histrionics that worked well onstage didn't translate to the silver screen, which usually requires a more subtle touch.

The film ended up bombing, grossing $19 million against a $27 million budget.

"Phantom of the Opera" (2004)

"Phantom of the Opera" remains the longest-running musical of all time, and was on Broadway from 1988 to 2023.

That means it has generations of fans who are attached to the musical and might have high expectations for a film adaptation.

Unfortunately, the Joel Schumacher-directed adaptation was a bit of a let-down. Some people felt the main problem was that Gerard Butler, who plays the Phantom, was just too handsome for the role.

"Rock of Ages" (2012)

"Rock of Ages," based on the 2005 musical of the same name, was first and foremost a box-office bomb. It grossed just shy of $60 million, making it one of the biggest bombs of star Tom Cruise's career.

Speaking of Cruise, people seemed to take the biggest issue with his performance. "Rock of Ages" is a jukebox musical consisting of '80s hits, which requires a huge vocal range. Cruise, talented though he may be, does not have the vocal talent needed.

"The Prom" (2020)

"The Prom" is the second musical adaption to star James Corden on this list, though his role in this one is more controversial. "The Prom" is based on the 2018 musical of the same name. It's the story of a lesbian teenager in middle America who defies her school's PTA by wanting to bring a female date to prom.

In the film, Corden plays a flamboyant, stereotypical gay character, which is problematic in and of itself — but the fact that Corden himself is straight adds another complicated layer.

As Business Insider's Frank Olito pointed out, LGBTQ teens can "experience disillusionment and confusion" when seeing straight actors play queer characters, and noted that there were plenty of gay actors who could've played the role.

"Carousel" (1956)

Redditor Yoyti described the issues with "Carousel," the adaptation of the 1945 musical about a romance between an amusement-park barker and a mill worker, perfectly. "It's bad in an insidious way," they wrote, adding that "the changes made to the script, and the direction, turn it entirely on its head and turn a subtle and heartbreaking musical into the horribly problematic thing."

Writer Mark Robinson also wrote that "the stage magic had to be drained to create a film that was of reasonable length."

"A Chorus Line" (1985)

The 1975 musical is about a group of chorus dancers who are trying everything they can to secure a dancing job before injuries or aging prevents them from dancing again.

As one of the stars from the musical, Kelly Bishop, later said, director Richard Attenborough seemed to misunderstand this.

"It was appalling when director Richard Attenborough went on a talk show and said 'This is a story about kids trying to break into show business.' I almost tossed my TV out the window; I mean what an idiot! It's about veteran dancers looking for one last job before it's too late for them to dance anymore. No wonder the film sucked," she said.

"Hair" (1979)

The film adaptation of a story about hippies in Vietnam War-era New York City makes many changes to the 1968 musical of the same name, much to the chagrin of its creators, Gerome Ragni and James Rado.

According to the book "The Age of Hair: Evolution and Impact of Broadway's First Rock Musical," the creators don't even consider it a real adaptation.

"Any resemblance between the 1979 film and the original Biltmore version, other than some of the songs, the names of the characters, and a common title, eludes us," they said.

• Jon M. Chu's "Wicked" premiered in theaters on November 22.
• "Wicked" topped the domestic box office with an estimated $114 million.
• The film has earned an estimated $164.2 million worldwide so far.

"Wicked" is soaring at the box office.

Universal Pictures' highly anticipated — and heavily promoted — film topped the domestic box office with an estimated $114 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend. With an additional estimated $50.2 million in the international market, Deadline reported that the film has had the biggest worldwide opening for a Broadway feature adaptation.

Director Jon M. Chu's "Wicked" is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" that invites audiences to learn how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be. The star-studded cast includes Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and several other actors who bring the magical realm to the silver screen.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Universal splurged on "Wicked," spending more than $320 million to create the two-part film. While it's unclear what portion of the budget went toward marketing, the musical themes, cast, and iconic pink and green motif have been ubiquitous for months in brand partnerships, including Starbucks and Stanley cups.

"Wicked" is based on the eponymous Broadway musical inspired by Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel. This film only covers part of the musical. A second film is expected to hit theaters in November 2025.

But the witchy "Wicked" isn't the only big-budget film gaining attention this Thanksgiving week.

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II" also debuted in American theaters on Friday, prompting movie fans to dub the phenomenon "Glicked." It's reminiscent of 2023's record-breaking blockbuster July when Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" — dubbed "Barbenheimer" — both took Hollywood by storm.

"Gladiator II" also has a stacked cast with Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal.

The action film earned an estimated $55.5 million domestically. It debuted overseas a week earlier, however, and has so far grossed an estimated $165 million from the international market, Variety reported.

• Audiences have flocked to see "Wicked" since its release in theaters this week.
• But some moviegoers have complained about people singing along while watching.
• The issue has sparked a fresh debate on movie theater etiquette.

"Wicked" arrived in theaters this week to largely positive reviews.

But while the film itself may be going down well with audiences, some have been less than thrilled to find their fellow moviegoers singing along and giving their best impressions of Elphaba and Glinda (played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande).

The film adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical of the same name has since prompted a fresh debate over how audiences should behave.

For its part, AMC Theatres has asked moviegoers to keep quiet during screenings of the film, which landed in theaters on November 22.

But it seems not everyone has got the message.

One TikTok user said in a video that has gained more than 1.3 million views: "I'm here to warn everyone that the singing is, in fact, happening, and it's worse than you would expect."

"Not only were people singing at the top of their lungs during 'Defying Gravity,' but what was almost worse is people whisper singing, and their timing was off so you would just hear little whispers of the songs or even just some of the words before they were said," they added.

Another TikTok user wrote of their experience watching the film: "The rumors are true; the theater kids really did do a sing-along."

"9/10 movie but 1/10 audience," they added in the caption.

Weighing in on the debate in an interview with StayTunedNBC, Grande and Erivo said they understood people wanting to sing along.

"I say if you come the first time and you sing through, sing through. But come a second time and let us sing to you," Erivo said.

"And if someone throws popcorn at you or their phone or something, maybe stop," Grande joked.

"Wicked" isn't the first movie in recent years to spark debate about how people should act during films.

In 2023, when Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" concert film was released in theaters, videos of fans leaving their seats to sing and dance in the aisles were met with criticism online.

However, for "Wicked," there may be a solution to keep both sides happy — special sing-a-long screenings will begin showing in roughly 1,000 North American cinemas from Christmas Day onwards, Variety has reported.

The Universal Pictures film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is expected to have one of the biggest domestic opening weekends of the year.

After making $19.2 million in advance screenings, the movie is reportedly heading for a domestic debut of $120 million.

• Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater reportedly began dating on the "Wicked" movie set.
• Slater confirmed he "fell in love" while filming, calling the experience "a really beautiful thing."
• Slater's ex-wife, Lilly Jay, wrote an essay for The Cut that unpacks her sudden public divorce.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater seem to be going strong, nearly two years after they met on the set of "Wicked."

The "Eternal Sunshine" singer, 31, and Broadway star, 32, were both legally married to other people when they began filming the two-part blockbuster. Now, the two have reportedly become a "full-on couple. " Some sources even claim they're living together in New York City.

Here's a complete timeline of their friendship-turned-romance.

December 2022: Grande begins filming the 'Wicked' movie

Back in 2021, Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast in the big-screen "Wicked" adaptation as Galinda Upland (eventually Glinda the Good Witch) and Elphaba Thropp (eventually the Wicked Witch of the West), respectively.

On December 7, 2022, director Jon M. Chu confirmed that filming was underway.

"My daughter wrote a note and drew a picture to commemorate the first day of shooting," he wrote on his Instagram story. Grande also reshared the photo, adding, "My heart."

That same day, Variety announced Slater's addition to the cast as Boq, a character from Munchkinland who falls in love with Galinda.

At that point, Slater was best known for his Tony-nominated role in "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical."

January/February 2023: Grande reportedly separates from her husband, Dalton Gomez

According to reports from TMZ and People, Grande and Gomez broke up shortly after she went to England to film "Wicked."

March 2023: Grande and Slater are photographed together

The cast of "Wicked" shared several photos online while celebrating Michelle Yeoh's Oscar win in London.

One photo, posted by Yeoh, shows Grande sitting between Erivo and Slater.

April 3, 2023: Grande shares a tribute to her 'Wicked' costars

Grande announced that filming "Wicked" was halfway done with a sentimental post on Instagram.

"i am so grateful, i don't know what to do or say… to be here in Oz where everyday is a life changing one… to be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed," she wrote in the caption. "to be transforming and healing parts of me that i never knew needed it. or maybe did."

Grande also wished a "happy halfway" to her crew and costars, whom she described as "my fellow Ozians."

"my heart will be stuck here forever," she added.

May 14, 2023: Slater praises his wife, Lilly Jay, on Mother's Day

Slater had been married to his high-school sweetheart, a clinical psychologist, since 2018. The couple welcomed a son in August 2022.

Slater dedicated a Mother's Day post to Jay on May 14, 2023, describing his wife as "the most loving caring and wonderful mom/person in the world." (Grande liked the post.)

May 15, 2023: Grande shares a photo with Gomez to celebrate their second wedding anniversary

In an Instagram story, Grande shared a photo of her and Gomez kissing at their wedding. She wrote that they'd been together for over three years, adding, "I love him so."

Later that month, Grande removed thousands of posts from her Instagram grid.

July 17, 2023: News breaks that Grande and Gomez are 'heading for divorce'

Rumors were already swirling about Grande's split from Gomez when she attended a Wimbledon tennis match with her "Wicked" costar Jonathan Bailey sans her engagement ring or wedding band.

The following day, TMZ published a report that she and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce," citing anonymous sources close to the couple.

Another source confirmed the news to People, claiming that Grande and Gomez "have been quietly and lovingly working on their friendship."

July 20, 2023: Grande and Slater's new relationship makes headlines

TMZ broke the news that Grande and Slater were a couple. According to the tabloid, they began dating while filming "Wicked."

When his relationship with Grande made headlines, neither Slater nor Jay had yet announced their separation. Later that day, People confirmed that Slater and Jay had "gone their separate ways," but did not provide a timeline for their split.

July 26, 2023: Slater files for divorce from Jay

According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Slater filed for divorce from Jay in New York.

The specific reason Slater listed for the split has not been made public.

July 27, 2023: Slater's estranged wife says Grande is 'not a girl's girl'

One day after Slater filed for divorce, Jay gave a short interview to Page Six's Francesca Bacardi, in which she described Grande as "not a girl's girl."

"My family is just collateral damage," Jay told Bacardi, adding, "The story is her and Dalton."

Jay also said she's focused on being a "good mom" to her 1-year-old son.

Shortly after, TMZ reported that Jay hadn't meant to publicly criticize Grande and "did not understand what it meant that she was on the record when she made the comments," citing sources close to Slater.

September 18, 2023: Grande and Gomez simultaneously file for divorce

Grande cited "irreconcilable differences" in her official divorce filing, according to TMZ. Gomez quickly followed suit with his own filing.

"They've been really caring and respectful of one another every step of this process," a source told the outlet.

According to court documents, the date of their separation was listed as February 20, 2023.

Their divorce was finalized just three weeks after filing on October 6, 2023, according to multiple outlets. In accordance with the couple's prenuptial agreement, Gomez reportedly received $1,250,000 from Grande.

Meanwhile, a source told People that Grande is trying to keep her relationship with Slater out of the spotlight.

"While this entire situation has been blown out of proportion, it's much different than what has been portrayed in public," said a friend of the couple. "They are just trying to navigate their new relationship in private."

September 29, 2023: Grande and Slater spend a night together at Disney World

Grande and Slater were spotted walking through Disney World and linking arms in their first public outing.

"They went with a big group of friends as well her mom and brother," a source told People, adding, "All of her friends love him."

October 31, 2023: Grande is spotted cheering for the cast of Broadway's 'Spamalot,' including Slater

Grande was spotted in the audience for the first preview performance of "Spamalot," a Monty Python-inspired musical. She can be seen cheering for the cast in a video that made the rounds on social media.

Fans assumed she was primarily there to support Slater, who played The Historian and Prince Herbert in the production.

"She has seen it during tech rehearsals," an anonymous attendee told People. "She was so sweet last night, taking pictures with fans and gushing about how much she was enjoying the performances. She's a theater kid at her core, so you see she really feels at peace being around Broadway."

Before becoming a pop star, Grande got her start on Broadway as a teen in "13: The Musical." She attended the "Spamalot" preview with her former "13" and "Victorious" costar, Liz Gillies, who shared a selfie with Grande on her Instagram story.

"Had the BEST time at @spamalotbway last night. Run, don't walk!" Gillies wrote in the caption. Grande reshared the photo on her own story.

November 12, 2023: The couple enjoys a theatrical date night

Grande and Slater were spotted together at the James Earl Jones Theater, catching a performance of "Gutenberg! The Musical!" on Broadway.

The couple also spent some time backstage with the production's costars, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. The former "Girls" actor later shared a photo of the foursome on Instagram.

"We had some big fun in Schlimmer yesterday! Spamalot's Ethan Slater AND Michael Urie! Two great guys to eat dreams with," Rannells wrote in the caption. "Plus Ariana Grande! It was a perfect Sunday."

November 16, 2023: Grande attends the opening night of 'Spamalot'

Grande was then spotted in the crowd at the St. James Theatre for the official opening night of "Spamalot."

She also brought her mother, Joan Grande; her brother-in-law, Hale Grande; and a few friends along for the occasion (including Doug Middlebrook of "In My Head" fame).

Grande later shared a slideshow of photos from the evening, including a T-shirt that reads, "Happy Opening Of Broadway Show."

In his own slideshow, Slater included a photo of himself wearing the same shirt.

December 22, 2023: Grande includes an apparent nod to Slater in her holiday decor

In an Instagram slideshow that she captioned with a heart, Grande included a photo of a Spam tree ornament.

Many fans believe the can of processed pork is a shoutout to Slater's role in "Spamalot."

December 23, 2023: The couple is seen dining with Grande's father, Ed Butera, in New York City

Grande, Slater, and Butera had dinner "at her family's favorite Italian restaurant" in Manhattan, according to Page Six.

They were photographed leaving the restaurant before heading to the Theater District, where Grande caught another performance of "Spamalot."

"They love to support each other in their work," an anonymous source told the outlet. "When she's done with work, she loves going to the theater when she can." (This exact quote was also cited by People.)

December 28, 2023: TMZ reports that Grande and Slater are living together

Grande and Slater are currently living together in New York City, according to sources close to the couple. One source also said they "vibe together."

"We're told each maintains a separate residence, but they are together almost all of the time," TMZ wrote.

January 12, 2024: Grande mocks people who scrutinize her sex life in the new single 'Yes, And?'

"Yes, And?" was written by Grande, Max Martin, and Ilya Salmanzadeh for Grande's forthcoming album.

In the song, Grande takes on critics of her body and relationship, with the most relevant lyrics appearing in the bridge: "Your business is yours and mine is mine / Why do you care so much whose **** I ride?" (The censor is Grande's own.)

The "Yes, And?" music video doubles down on this theme. It shows Grande performing the song for her biggest critics, who, by the end of the song, are persuaded to abandon their haughtiness and dance along with Grande.

March 8, 2024: Grande releases her album 'Eternal Sunshine,' which may contain references to her new boyfriend

Amid several breakup songs on Grande's seventh studio album, she sings about finding new love.

"I found a good boy and he's on my side / You're just my eternal sunshine," she sings in the title track, drawing a distinction between her new man and her ex. (Although Grande hasn't identified any muses for "Eternal Sunshine," the information we have about her love life would indicate these lyrics are about Slater and Gomez, respectively.)

"Supernatural," "Imperfect For You," and "Ordinary Things" also allude to a recently sparked romance ("Nothing else felt this way inside me," "We crashed and we burned / Now I just can't go where you don't go," "There's never gonna be an ordinary thing as long as I'm with you").

Notably, the two-song sequence "True Story" and "The Boy Is Mine" addresses Grande's reputation as a "villain" in the public eye — but filtered through a satirical, tongue-in-cheek lens.

"It's like, 'OK, I'll play the bad girl, here's your bad girl anthem,'" Grande told Zane Lowe. "That's why they're in that order in the tracklist."

June 8, 2024: Grande and Slater attend a hockey game together

Grande and Slater were photographed sitting side-by-side at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida, Grande's home state, for the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

They were joined by Grande's longtime friend, Courtney Chipolone, per People.

September 30, 2024: Grande defends Slater and their relationship against 'disreputable evil tabloids'

Grande addressed the rumors about her love life in her Vanity Fair cover story (without mentioning Slater by name).

"It definitely doesn't get any easier, seeing some of the negativity that was birthed by disreputable tabloids. Of course, I went through a lot of life changes during the filming of this movie. A lot of people that were working on it did," Grande said, referring to "Wicked."

Grande also disavowed the negative perception of her relationship with Slater, which she said was created by the media — though, again, she didn't clarify any specifics, telling the magazine she "will never go into certain details."

"The most disappointing part was to see so many people believe the worst version of it," she said.

"There couldn't be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him," Grande added of Slater, alluding to rumors that he left his wife and child to be with her.

"No one on this Earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this Earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullshit tabloid can rewrite in real life."

October 30, 2024: Slater confirms he 'fell in love' while filming 'Wicked'

During an interview with GQ, Slater was asked about his new relationship.

"You also fell in love making this movie," reporter Eileen Cartter said to him. "Can you tell me a little bit about what that was like?"

"Yeah," he replied. "That's a really sweet question. That's really nice of you to ask. That's a really sweet question."

"Obviously, it was a really super big year," he continued, "and I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public. There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it's really hard to see people who don't know anything about what's happening commenting on it and speculating, and then getting things wrong about the people you love. So just to address that part of it, that feels really hard."

Despite the rumors about his love life, however, Slater said it was "an amazing year and a really beautiful thing." He also praised Grande's acting chops and comedic timing.

"I'm just really, really proud of Ari and the work she's done on this," Slater said, referring to her role as Galinda. "She's poured herself into it. I'm really proud that I got to be there for that part of it, and I'm really excited to be there for this next step of it when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did."

Grande signaled her support by sharing GQ's photos of Slater on her Instagram Story.

She also shared a link to the interview, calling it "a beautifully written piece about an unfathomably beautiful human being."

November 4, 2024: Slater makes his debut on Grande's Instagram grid

In an Instagram carousel dedicated to the Sydney premiere of "Wicked," Grande included a photo of the cast posing on the red (actually, yellow) carpet.

Although Grande and Slater weren't standing next to each other, the photo shows them smiling at each other.

In another candid shot, Slater is holding the train of Grande's gown as they walk down stairs.

November 14, 2024: They hug and hold hands at the 'Wicked' premiere in New York City

Photographers caught a brief interaction between Grande and Slater in New York City, where both actors walked the red carpet for the "Wicked" premiere.

November 22, 2024: Slater shares several photos with Grande from the set of 'Wicked'

To celebrate the movie's release in theaters, Slater shared a carousel of photos from the set of "Wicked."

One is a selfie that Slater took with Grande and their costar, Bronwyn James, while another shows Erivo, Grande, and Slater posing in sunglasses.

"To say I'm honored to be a part of this movie is the understatement of the century," Slater wrote in the caption. "I cannot wait for you to see it."

Grande liked the post and commented with three cupid-heart emojis.

In the weeks following, he shared two more photos with Grande from the "Wicked" set (one on November 29 and another on December 5), both showing the costars in their Shiz University costumes.

December 19, 2024: Lilly Jay publishes an essay that unpacks her sudden public divorce

Jay's first-person essay ran in The Cut under the headline, "How Does My Divorce Make You Feel?"

The piece explores Jay's career as a clinical psychologist, her desire to remain anonymous for the sake of her patients, her new life as a mother, and how the "sudden public downfall" of her marriage complicated all three.

"I really never thought I would get divorced," Jay writes. "Especially not just after giving birth to my first child and especially not in the shadow of my husband's new relationship with a celebrity."

Although Jay never names either Slater or Grande in the piece, she refers to "a tabloid drama in which I play the role of a voiceless ex-wife."

Jay also reveals that she "confidently moved to another country with my 2-month-old baby and my husband to support his career," confirming that she and Slater were still together when he began filming "Wicked" in England.

Although Jay is still grappling with the ripple effects of their breakup, she praises Slater's commitment to co-parenting their child.

"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not. Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided," Jay writes. "As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."

Grande and Slater did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.

This post is a developing story. Check back for updates.

• "Gladiator II" and "Wicked" are both in theaters.
• While "Glicked" isn't as much of a viral double feature as "Barbenheimer," it would be pretty fun.
• If you have time for only one, though, see "Wicked."

"Gladiator II" and "Wicked" are facing off at the box office this weekend.

"Glicked," a portmanteau of the dueling releases, may not live up to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon of 2023 — the two films would need to make over $2 billion at the box office to pull that off. But they're both positioned for success as blockbusters.

"Gladiator II," directed by Ridley Scott, is the sequel to his 2000 film starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Its protagonist is Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), a long-lost Roman heir sent away for his own safety by his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), after the events of the first film.

"Wicked" is an adaptation of one of the longest-running Broadway musicals. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, this film covers only the first act of the musical, which serves as an origin story for the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz." (The second part is coming in 2025.)

Having screened both of them, I can say it's absolutely worth seeing both movies eventually, ideally in theaters. The double feature would be a good time, and far less existentially depressing than "Barbenheimer."

But if you've got the time, money, and energy for only one movie this weekend, you should see "Wicked."

'Wicked' vs. 'Gladiator II,' by the numbers

Both movies have been well received so far and are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, but critics and audiences generally seem to like "Wicked" a bit more.

If time is of the essence, there's no tie-breaker — they're nearly the same length.

If you want something you can see with the whole family, "Wicked" is more kid-friendly.

Now on to the more subjective stuff.

'Wicked' is a better movie than 'Gladiator II'

The witches have it, folks. To briefly summarize my "Wicked" review:

• Erivo and Grande are extraordinary as Elphaba and Glinda. It's not unlikely that Grande will pick up an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress (despite some hubbub over whether she belongs in that category) — and frankly, everyone should watch Erivo sing "The Wizard and I."
• "Wicked" does make some frustrating choices and feels a bit self-indulgent.
• It's still one of the best movie musicals in recent memory and makes a convincing argument for why it needed to be a two-part film.

"Gladiator II" is fun — but not quite as good, and narratively messy.

• It has trouble juggling its large cast and many contentious relationships. That results in an irritating underutilization of Pedro Pascal, who is otherwise just as heartstring-tugging as usual.
• But the action sequences are pretty fun, as long as you're not too pedantic about historical accuracy. (Colosseum sharks.)
• Denzel Washington is great, even if his character, Macrinus, is a little inscrutable.

'Gladiator II' has more Paul Mescal in it, though

Can't argue with that. Mescal is bloody, feral, leading-man material in "Gladiator II."

Be warned that people might start singing at 'Wicked'

Universal Pictures has scheduled sing-along screenings of "Wicked" that start on December 25. They can't really come soon enough, though. The New York Times reported on audience members' frustrations with their compatriots belting out songs — and that was just at early-access screenings.

Let's be clear: You should definitely not start singing along at "Wicked" unless it is a designated sing-along screening. It's rude and disrupts other people's enjoyment of the film. Do what the rest of us have done since we were children and strain your voice by belting "Defying Gravity" in the comfort of your own living room.

Ultimately, follow your own taste

"Wicked" and "Gladiator II" are both worth the price of admission (and maybe even of a popcorn and soda). Ultimately, it boils down to whether you have a strong preference for or against musicals.

If you're thirsting for blood, go see "Gladiator II." If you're craving off-the-charts theater-kid energy, obviously go see "Wicked."

• Ariana Grande got her start on Broadway and currently stars in the film adaptation of "Wicked."
• She reportedly earned at least $72 million from 2019 to 2020, thanks to the Sweetener World Tour.
• She's also earned revenue from album sales, brand ambassadorships, and her perfume and makeup lines.

Sixteen years after her professional debut, Ariana Grande is one of the richest pop stars in the music industry.

Grande's path to stardom started with her love of theater, which led her to a brief stint on Broadway before she broke into Hollywood. Now, the "Eternal Sunshine" singer regularly makes headlines as an actor, musician, and businesswoman. 

Grande, 31, always seems to be working on a new project, a work ethic that perhaps unsurprisingly has translated into a high net worth; she earned at least $72 million between 2019 and 2020 alone, per Forbes estimates.

Here's a breakdown of her reported net worth.

Grande made her Broadway debut in "13: The Musical."

Grande launched her music career as an adolescent performing in local community theatre and on cruise ships.

At 15, she auditioned for Jason Robert Brown's Broadway show, "13: The Musical," and was cast in the role of Charlotte.

The play ran for a few months in 2008, and while Grande's compensation isn't public knowledge, she did win a National Youth Theatre Association Award for her portrayal of the character.

In 2009, Grande was cast in Nickelodeon's "Victorious," which launched her into teen stardom.

Following her stint on Broadway, Grande was cast in the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" as Cat Valentine, a red-haired and absent-minded theater kid. The show premiered in 2010 and earned 3.5 million viewers right off the bat, eventually wrapping after four seasons.

According to a contract obtained by TMZ, Grande made $9,000 per episode in the first season alone. She reportedly earned additional thousands for writing songs for the show.

During her time on Nickelodeon, Grande also appeared on "Winx Club," "Snowflake, the White Gorilla," and a music video with Greyson Chance.

Following "Victorious," Grande landed her own spin-off show with Jennette McCurdy, "Sam & Cat," which was canceled after 35 episodes. Though her earnings from "Sam & Cat" have not been reported, she wrote on Twitter in 2014 that she and McCurdy were paid equally.

Grande later made guest appearances on shows and films including "Family Guy," "Scream Queens," "Zoolander 2," and "Saturday Night Live." In 2016, she portrayed Penny Pingleton in NBC's "Hairspray Live!"

Grande's debut album, "Yours Truly," went platinum.

During her time on "Victorious," Grande began writing her own songs and collaborating with other songwriters and producers. She signed a recording contract with Republic Records in 2011 and her debut studio album, "Yours Truly," was released in 2013.

The album's lead single, "The Way" featuring Mac Miller, reached the No. 1 spot on iTunes less than eight hours after its release. "Yours Truly" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 138,000 copies in its release week. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, meaning it has sold at least 1 million copies in the US.

Grande also won best new artist at the American Music Awards in 2013.

Though it's unclear how much revenue "Yours Truly" brought in, TMZ reported that her Republic contract includes a $50,000 guarantee for the first album "and goes up from there."

Her music career took off from there.

Since "Yours Truly," Grande has released six more studio albums (plus a holiday EP and a live album). They have all sold at least 1 million copies in the US, with Grande's 2014 sophomore album "My Everything" earning the highest certification from the RIAA (4x platinum).

To promote that album, Grande embarked on the eight-month Honeymoon Tour, for which she visited America, Europe, and Asia, logging sales in the $40 million range, according to Billboard.

In 2016, Grande released her third album, "Dangerous Woman," which spawned top-40 hits like "Into You," "Side to Side," and the title track.

The Dangerous Woman Tour, which wrapped up in September 2017, proved even more massive than Grande's previous outing. With 75 headlining performances worldwide, the tour sold over 875,000 tickets and grossed over $71 million, per Billboard.

By the end of the decade, Grande's music career had reached new heights with "Sweetener" and "Thank U, Next."

Grande released her fourth studio album, "Sweetener," in 2018. It became her third debut atop the Billboard 200. 

Just a few months later, Grande earned her first-ever No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Thank U, Next." The breakup anthem went on to dominate the chart for seven weeks.

Grande's follow-up single "7 Rings," which interpolates the melody of "My Favourite Things" from "The Sound of Music," was an even bigger hit. It also debuted at No. 1 and spent eight weeks atop the chart.

Although Grande's team gave away 90% of the song's royalties to the estate of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (meaning she likely made very little money from the song's success), it still lifted Grande to new heights of commercial success. She now boasts seven songs that debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, tying Taylor Swift for the most among women and the second-most in history.

Both hit singles were included on Grande's 2019 blockbuster "Thank U, Next." The album sold 360,000 equivalent album units in its first week and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It also set a record among pop albums for the biggest streaming week ever, per Billboard.

Later that year, Grande embarked on the Sweetener World Tour to promote the pair of releases. She performed over 100 shows throughout 2019, including headlining slots at Coachella and Lollapalooza.

According to Forbes, the arena tour grossed $146 million, Grande's biggest sum to date. The magazine also named Grande as the highest-paid female musician on the 2020 Celebrity 100.

Grande has continued to rack up streaming numbers and sales with her two latest albums, "Positions" and "Eternal Sunshine."

Grande's sixth album, "Positions," was released in 2020. All 14 of its tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.

"Positions" sold 174,000 equivalent album units in its first week and became Grande's third No. 1 album in a little over two years.

According to a 2020 study of Spotify earnings, "Positions" earned $2 million from Spotify streams alone in just two weeks (though Grande would split those payments with other songwriters, producers, and copyright holders).

Grande's latest album, "Eternal Sunshine," arrived four years later. As expected, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 227,000 equivalent units earned in the US. The album also spawned two No. 1 hits on the Hot 100: "Yes, And?" and "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)."

In addition to music, Grande has multiple successful partnerships and a popular line of perfumes.

Grande launched her own perfume line with "Ari" in 2015. She followed that with "Frankie," named after her brother, and "Sweet Like Candy" in 2016.

By 2017, according to Refinery29, Grande's perfume line had grossed over $150 million in retail sales worldwide.

At the 2019 Fragrance Foundation Awards, Grande was awarded fragrance of the year for her latest release, Cloud Eau de Parfum.

She has continued to release a steady stream of scents, including multiple products named after her own songs, like "Thank U, Next" in 2019, "R.E.M." in 2020, and "God Is a Woman" in 2021. Most recently, she partnered with Luxe Brands for the multi-fragrance collection, "Lovenotes."

Grande has plenty of experience partnering with brands. In 2016, she became the face of Lipsy's new campaign and released a 20-piece collection in collaboration with the British brand.

Later, in 2017, the singer expanded her portfolio and signed a yearlong partnership with shoe brand Reebok.

Grande launched her own makeup line, r.e.m. beauty, in 2021.

Grande joined a long list of celebrities making money in the beauty industry and launched her own makeup line, r.e.m. beauty, named after a fan-favorite track on "Sweetener."

The first collection dropped in an online-only launch in November 2021 and quickly sold out of several lip glosses and eye-shadow shades.

Through the brand's partnership with Ulta, r.e.m. Beauty has maintained high consumer demand.

According to Forbes, the big-box beauty retailer's 2022 Q1 sales were up 21% to $2.3 billion compared to 2021's earnings, citing the strong interest in prestige brands like r.e.m. beauty.

Citing data from Upbeat Agency, Marie Claire reported that r.e.m. beauty made $88.7 million in revenue in 2023, making it the fourth-wealthiest celebrity brand on their list.

Grande also earned a significant salary as a coach on NBC's "The Voice."

Grande joined season 21 of NBC's "The Voice" as a coach, mentoring 16 singers in their hopes of scoring a recording contract with Republic and a $100,000 prize.

Although Grande was only featured on the show for one season, multiple sources report that she was the highest-paid coach by far. According to Forbes, Grande could've earned anywhere between $20 million to $25 million for the gig, which the outlet described as "one of the largest checks ever for a judge of a reality singing competition."

By comparison, longtime coaches John Legend and Blake Shelton reportedly earn $13 million apiece per season.

Grande has recently refocused on acting, scoring roles in blockbuster films like "Don't Look Up" and "Wicked."

Grande starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Timothée Chalamet in Netflix's satirical film "Don't Look Up," which was released on the platform in December 2021.

Though it's not clear how much Grande was paid for the role, the film's budget was sizable; Variety reported that DiCaprio and Lawrence were paid a combined $30 million and $25 million, respectively. 

Around the same time, it was announced that Grande had landed her dream role as Glinda in "Wicked," the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway show.

John Chu's blockbuster musical is already generating box-office buzz and is likely headed for a huge opening weekend. According to Variety, the movie is tracking for an opening weekend in the low $100 million range, with some estimates as high as $130 million. It reportedly cost about $150 million to produce.

Grande will also star in the film's second installment, which is scheduled for release next year.

She recently revealed that she's planning to lean deeper into her Broadway roots and away from pop music.

"I love musical theater," Grande said. "I think reconnecting with this part of myself who started in musical theater and who loves comedy — it heals me to do that."

• "Wicked," the movie, is based on "Wicked," the hit 2003 Broadway musical.
• Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande play Elphaba and Glinda, roles originated by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.
• Here's what you need to know about how the movie pays homage to the musical.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Wicked" the movie.

Jon M. Chu's "Wicked" film is a reboot of one of the longest-running Broadway shows of all time — and it pays its respects to that history through a long-rumored cameo.

"Wicked," the musical, is a loose adaptation of Gregory Maguire's novel that imagines a backstory for the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." The show premiered on Broadway in October 2003 starring Idina Menzel as Elphaba, the green-skinned woman who would become the Wicked Witch, and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, her roommate and future Good Witch.

Though "Wicked" has cycled through many Elphabas and Glindas over its extensive theatrical run, Menzel and Chenoweth remain iconic as members of the original cast. Now, they're passing the mantle to the film's Elphaba and Glinda — Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth have a significant cameo in the Emerald City

The cameo, which probably made Broadway fans squeal, happens once Elphaba and Glinda make their way to the Emerald City.

After sorcerer Madame Morrible recognizes Elphaba's immense magical talent, Elphaba enrolls at Shiz University to be her pupil. She ends up rooming with Glinda, her conceited classmate, and the two strike up a rivalry. Eventually, they become friends, and when Elphaba is summoned to meet with the Wizard in the Emerald City, she brings Glinda with her.

Once they reach the city, the pair take in the sights, including a play about the history of Oz and the Wizard. Menzel and Chenoweth appear as two of the show's principal players, and they're both credited on IMDb as "Wiz-O-Mania Super Star."

This isn't just a throwaway moment either. As far as cameo appearances go, this is a pretty meaty one: Menzel and Chenoweth have significant singing roles — Menzel even does her original "Defying Gravity" end riff.

The most satisfying part of their appearance, however, is their interaction with Grande and Erivo on-screen. There's one significant moment where Menzel and Erivo, and Chenoweth and Grande — the Elphabas and Glindas, respectively — stand face to face. Cheekily, Chenoweth places her mouth over Grande's mouth to prevent her from vocalizing and stealing the spotlight.

Both Menzel and Chenoweth have been champions of the film and supported it at its Los Angeles premiere. Both told Entertainment Tonight that they didn't think Erivo and Grande needed their advice — only their congratulations.

"Kristin and I are just so proud that we were a part of creating this beautiful legacy," Menzel said.

"You always hope they do a movie, especially when it's a juggernaut like this was, but you never know," Chenoweth said.

"Wicked" is now in theaters.

• The new "Wicked" movie musical is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz."
• Many characters established in "The Wizard of Oz" make appearances in the first film.
• Here's what to know about how the two stories overlap.

Spoilers ahead for "Wicked" movie and Broadway show

"Wicked" is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," but the story starts halfway through the original 1939 movie.

This may confuse some fans who tune into the new prequel, which premieres this week on the same day as another blockbuster heavyweight, "Gladiator II."

The 1939 film and other adaptations of Oz, like 1970s film 'The Wiz', are based on the original book by Frank L. Baum "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," written in 1900.

The "Wicked" movie and Broadway show, however, are based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 revisionist novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West."

Maguire's novel reframes the popular plot of the original book and 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz" around the book's main villain, the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba, as she's christened by Maguire, is the hero of this rewriting.

The Broadway adaption of the book is a resounding success. Since its debut in 2005, "Wicked" has become the second-highest-grossing Broadway show, selling over a billion tickets.

Wicked begins after Elphaba's death

"Wicked" closely follows the musical's first act, which begins half way through the original plot of "The Wizard of Oz" film.

"The Wizard of Oz" starts when Dorothy Gale, her dog Toto, and her house are picked up by a tornado in Kansas and dropped in Oz, landing on and killing the Wicked Witch of the East.

Glinda the Good Witch gives Dorothy the Wicked Witch of the East's ruby shoes. The Wicked Witch of the West, the Witch of the East's sister, (also known as Elphaba) swears vengeance against Dorothy.

Later in the film, Dorothy must steal Elphaba's broom and deliver it to the Wizard of Oz, so the Wizard will transport her home to Kansas. Dorothy accidentally splashes water on the witch during the encounter.

The witch melts and eventually dies, allowing Dorothy to complete her mission to retrieve Elphaba's broom for the Wizard.

This moment is where "Wicked" begins.

The movie's opening scene is set in Elphaba's castle after the confrontation with Dorothy, signified by the puddle of water and a witch hat on the floor.

A flying monkey, one of Elphaba's servants, crashes through the window. The camera briefly shows Dorothy and her crew — the cowardly lion, the Tin Man, and the scarecrow — on the yellow brick road as the monkey flies over Oz.

Glinda (Ariana Grande) later confirms to the people of Munchkinland, a region in Oz, that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is dead, leading to cheers and joyful singing.

When the crowd asks how Elphaba became evil, Glinda starts telling the story of the witch's life from childhood revealing she and the wicked witch were once friends.

The movie follows the musical and book's plot where Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, didn't start out wicked. She was ostracized in Oz for her green skin tone from an early age.

The rest of the film shows Elphaba's origin story, ending where the end of act one would normally be in the Broadway show.

"Wicked Part Two," which premieres in November 2025, covers act two of the Broadway show. The second act shows the days leading up to Dorothy's arrival and the story of "The Wizard of Oz" from the point of view of Glinda and Elphaba.

• The "Wicked" movie covers act one of the original musical's plot.
• The film is part of a two-part franchise, with the sequel set for release on November 21, 2025.
• Here's what we know about "Wicked: For Good," including the cast and potential plot.

The cinematic debut of "Wicked" is already as long as the Broadway original, but only covers half of the show's plot. A second movie is coming in November 2025 to complete the story.

The director of 'Wicked' and its sequel, Jon M. Chu, announced in April 2022 that the film adaptation would be split into two movies released in 2024 and 2025.

This remains true even as Universal is marketing the movie as "Wicked," instead of "Wicked Part One." Warner Bros., the studio behind the release, also used this tactic with box office hits "Dune" and "It."

"Wicked," the musical, is the second-highest-grossing Broadway show ever. The plot follows the origin story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, a character from "The Wizard of Oz."

The movie version stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Eviro, and Michelle Yeoh. "Wicked" competed with another double-hitter, "Gladiator 2," for the top box office spot.

Although recent cinema adaptions of stage musicals like "Cats" and Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" haven't had box-office success, "Wicked" is primed to join the billion-dollar club. Deadline predicted a $80 million plus opening, and higher first-day ticket pre-sales than "Inside Out 2," which brought in over $1 billion in ticket sales in 2024.

Marc Platt, who produced the "Wicked" movie and stage production, said he initially intended for the story to be a film but changed his mind after speaking to Stephen Schwartz, who composed the music and lyrics for the stage musical.

"I waited a very long time to make the movie," Platt said at the movie's London premiere where Business Insider was in attendance. Now, fans will have to wait even longer, until November 21, 2025, for the second part of "Wicked," titled "Wicked: For Good."

Both parts of 'Wicked' were filmed together

The cast, director, and crew have all shared reasons for splitting "Wicked" into two films.

Both Chu and Platt have said in interviews that they didn't want to cram or cut songs or characters to fit the story into one movie.

Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, told Entertainment Weekly in February that the split allowed more space to develop her character's friendship and rivalry with Glinda the Good Witch, played by Grande.

A fan newsletter, "The Schwartz Scene," reported that composer Schwartz said there had to be a break after "Defying Gravity," the final song in the musical's first act.

"We found it very difficult to get past 'Defying Gravity' without a break," he said. "That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic."

In 2023, Schwartz told the now-defunct site, The Messenger, that the second part will include new original songs written for the film.

"The storytelling required it, and therefore they were created—the intention was that they were organic and not imposed on the movie," he said.

Both parts of "Wicked" were filmed simultaneously and all the stars from the first film will return in the sequel. This also makes it unlikely the sequel could be delayed by production issues and should arrive on schedule next November.

'Wicked: For Good' will likely cover the second act of the Broadway musical

Spoilers ahead for "Wicked," the Broadway musical and the film.

The sequel's title is named after the act two song "For Good," performed by Elphaba and Glinda.

The first movie adapts the first act of the Broadway musical, explaining how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch.

Though Elphaba grew up being bullied and mistreated for her green skin and magical powers, she is desperate to prove she can be good and become like everyone else.

She and her younger sister Nessarose end up at Shiz University, a magical school in the world of Oz, but Elphaba is forced to share a room with a self-absorbed student called Galinda.

The pair bicker and fight until they become friends. At the same time, both women fall for Prince Fiyero Tiggular, and Elphaba learns that someone is trying to cage Oz's animals and stop them from speaking.

Later in the film, Elphaba is invited to meet The Wizard of Oz, its ruler, and brings along Galinda, who now goes by Glinda.

They learn that the wizard is a con man and that he and Madame Morrible, a magic professor at Shiz, are behind the conspiracy against the talking animals.

They want to use Elphaba's powers to help their plot because she is Oz's chosen one, not the Wizard — she can read a special book of spells called the Grimmerie.

But Elphaba steals the book instead and leaves Emerald City, leaving behind Glinda, who still believes in the Wizard.

The second film will cover the second act, set a few years after the first. In this act, the story connects back to the plot of "The Wizard of Oz," which viewers might be more familiar with from the 1939 film.

Glinda and Madame Morrible are part of the Wizard's administration, and Fiyero is head of a hunting squad for Elphaba.

Nessarose has become a cruel governor of Munchkinland and earned the title of the Wicked Witch of the East.

Elphaba, now known as the Wicked Witch of the West, tries to do good for the animals and people of Oz, but her magic and actions continue to harm her loved ones.

When her sister is crushed and killed by Dorothy's house, she vows to become truly wicked. This establishes her character as the witch depicted in "The Wizard of Oz" book and film.

There are no new characters in Act Two, except Dorothy, who is normally not played by a character onstage. There has been no casting announcement to suggest Dorothy will have a larger role in the second film.

• Ariana Grande has traveled around the world this year while promoting "Wicked."
• She's worn one showstopping look after another for stops in New York, London, and other cities.
• Her best outfits have been pink and frilly, while her worst have been neutral and overly simple.

Ariana Grande has been booked and busy this year.

While promoting "Wicked," the two-part film in which she plays Glinda, the actor and musician has traveled the world alongside her costars. And for each appearance, she's stepped up her style.

From Oz-inspired gowns to simple minidresses, here's a look at what she's worn throughout 2024 — ranked from worst to best.

The two ensembles that Ariana Grande wore on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" weren't her best.

She first chatted with the talk-show host in a black Balmain dress. It had white, rose-shaped buttons down its bodice and a short circle skirt.

Though Grande's outfit was classic, especially paired with sheer tights and white Jimmy Choo heels, the garment was altered drastically from its runway state, which made it less unique.

The musician later changed into a black, asymmetrical Mugler outfit, which was more interesting in shape and style.

Unfortunately, the lace cat mask she wore across her face made the outfit look too much like a costume.

The style of the pink ensemble she sported in New York City in November aged her.

Grande was photographed wearing a $1,555 pink minidress from The Vampire's Wife and darker satin heels. She also carried a $460 Vivienne Westwood purse.

Her dress was aptly named "I'll Get You, My Pretty" — a nod to the Wicked Witch of the West's quote from the 1939 "Wizard of Oz" film.

But its light-pink color washed Grande out, and its shapeless style aged her.

Grande wore a few cute outfits for her "Saturday Night Live" appearance. But one dress was ultimately forgettable.

The actor filmed promotional videos alongside Bowen Yang and Stevie Nicks, wearing a brown leather dress from JW Anderson and semi-sheer tights.

The sleeveless piece had a scooped neckline and a wide-brimmed miniskirt, which made for a fun silhouette.

But because of the piece's neutral color and Grande's minimal accessories, the understated outfit didn't stand out from the rest of her wardrobe that night.

The white outfit she wore to an October "Wicked" screening in New York was cute but overly simple.

Grande sported a Versace outfit, including a cream asymmetrical vest, pleated skirt, and a $1,995 purse from the Italian brand. She completed the outfit with white pumps.

She looked classy and chic, but her outfit didn't raise the bar like others she wore at prior "Wicked" events.

The same top paired with a more interesting skirt or pants, especially in a different color, could have helped the outfit.

The designer gown she wore to the 2024 Innovator Awards had the opposite problem.

Vivienne Westwood designed her strapless dress, which had a corseted bodice, a short tutu skirt, and a longer overlay with floral details.

Grande also wore white Gianvito Rossi heels and statement Swarovski jewelry.

The "Wicked" star looked stunning, and her outfit was beyond glamorous. But because of its white color and mesh fabric, the garment had a bridal feel that didn't fit the movie's vibe.

Grande looked like a modern-day Glinda at the Los Angeles "Wicked" premiere.

She arrived on the black carpet wearing a custom ensemble from Thom Browne. It comprised a strapless dress, a matching shawl, and short gloves — all of which featured a pink-and-white checked pattern.

Not only was the dress sweet and subtly reminiscent of her "Wicked" character but it was also tailored to perfection.

Grande completed the look with sparkling silver heels, pearl earrings, and a pink bow in her hair.

She wore a similar style — which has become her signature this year — for an event in Australia a few days earlier.

She was photographed at the photocall wearing a white strapless top with pink bow details and a matching pleated skirt from Bode. She also wore $925 heels from Manolo Blahnik.

The outfit was cute, themed to her character, and just casual enough for the event.

The best minidress Grande has worn this year was shaped like a flower.

She attended CinemaCon in a $6,990 minidress from Oscar de la Renta. Made from organza and floral appliqué, the dress looked like one big flower blooming from the center of her waist.

The dress was youthful, fun, and perfectly suited Grande's bright demeanor. She wore it with $975 Jimmy Choo heels.

Grande seemingly channeled Audrey Hepburn for the 2024 Academy Museum Gala.

She embraced the glamour of old-school Hollywood and acting legends like Hepburn with a white polka-dot gown from Balmain.

The vintage piece was strapless with a band of black mesh across the neckline and a large bow beneath it. It also featured a black belt around the waist.

The gown's style was classic rather than outdated. And its timeless aesthetic worked for her.

The pink outfit Grande wore in Paris was perfect for both her "Wicked" character and a trip to the famous city.

Thom Browne made the A-line dress custom for Grande. It had a structured and sleeveless bodice, as well as a full pleated skirt with a small bow attached at the waist.

The dress looked pretty and chic, but Grande's accessories took the overall outfit to another level.

She added pink-and-white heels, gloves that extended past her wrists, small earrings, and a delicate bow to hold her hair back.

One of her best outfits of the year came even earlier in March.

For the Oscars in March, the superstar donned one of her first Glinda-inspired looks of the year: a two-piece Giambattista Valli set.

The fun outfit featured a strapless, floor-length gown ruched from top to bottom and a puffy shawl wrapped around her waist.

With the statement-making outfit, Grande proved she knows how to fashionably kick off a press tour.

Grande perfectly mixed her style with Glinda's at the 2024 Met Gala.

The "Wicked" star wore Loewe to the 2024 Met Gala, mixing the magic of Glinda's style with Grande's red-carpet shine.

Her strapless gown had a corset bodice with a mother-of-pearl finish and an iridescent skirt designed with pleats and varying shades to mirror the iridescence of pearls.

The off-white shades suited Grande, and her petal eye makeup made her ensemble look even more whimsical.

She made a case for couture costumes at the Australian premiere of "Wicked."

She walked the red carpet — or the yellow brick road, in this case — wearing a custom Vivienne Westwood dress.

The corseted piece was pink, decorated with silver sparkles across its bodice and puffed sleeves, and covered in frills down its full skirt. And Grande added more glitz with statement jewels from Lorraine Schwartz.

The feminine ensemble showed Grande's dedication to her "Wicked" role and her high-fashion take on the beloved character.

Grande had her best fashion moment of the year at the Mexico "Wicked" premiere, where she took inspiration from Glinda's opalescent bubble.

She was photographed at the event wearing an opalescent gown from Versace.

Its strapless corset had a V-shaped plunge down its center, while its full skirt was elegantly ruffled. But most impressive was the white gown's pink shine, making it look much like Glinda's famous bubble.

The outfit was fun, memorable, and undoubtedly Grande's best look of the year so far.