For Hollywood’s biggest night, the 2025 Oscars ceremony opened with Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo who performed a Wizard of Oz-themed medley.
Donned in a ruby red dress, Grande emerged under a spotlight, while Erivo was clad in a white gown adorned with glistening flowers of various colors.
Supported by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Hollywood’s Glinda began with a rendition of “Over the Rainbow” from 1939’s The Wizard Oz, which then blended into “Home,” from 1978’s The Wiz, performed by Grande’s Elphaba counterpart.
The superstar singers went for a showstopper with “Defying Gravity,” Ariana and Cynthia’s epic closer to the Wicked movie. The star-studded audience erupted in applause when Erivo hit her final war-cry belt and Michelle Yeoh, who played Madame Morrible in the movie, was seen wiping away tears.
Not the first time the two songstresses performed together, during the 2024 Met Gala the duo dueted on “When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt.
In addition to their opening number, each woman was also a 97th Oscar nominee, with Erivo up for Best Actress and Grande up for Best Supporting Actress. The film also secured nominations for Best Picture, Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Original Score, and Visual Effects.
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Our Movie Guide