Ariana Grande’s Oscar Nom Reaction Involved Crying, Of Course

Let us be glad, let us be grateful, let us rejoicify! On Jan. 23, Ariana Grande earned her first-ever Oscar nomination, receiving a nod for Best Supporting Actress for her acclaimed performance as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked.

Soon after, the actor took to Instagram to react to her nomination, even poking fun at her tear-filled press tour. “Picking my head up in between sobs to say thank you so much to @theacademy for this unfathomable recognition,” she quipped. “I cannot stop crying, to no one’s surprise.”

Ariana’s Emotional Reaction

Grande posted a slideshow of Wicked memories, starting with a snapshot of herself dressed as Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz as a child. She then shared a screenshot of the Best Supporting Actress nominees, which also include Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave, and Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez.

“I’m humbled and deeply honored to be in such brilliant company and sharing this with tiny Ari who sat and studied Judy Garland singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ just before the big, beautiful bubble entered,” she wrote. “I’m so proud of you, tiny. thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for this acknowledgement @theacademy.”

Grande also showed gratitude to her Wicked crew and castmates, beginning with director Jon M. Chu. “Thank you @jonmchu for taking this chance on me and for being the most unbelievably brilliant leader, human being, and most fierce friend,” she wrote. “I am so deeply proud of my beautiful Wicked family.”

She then paid tribute to the Elphaba to her Glinda, Cynthia Erivo, who also received a nomination for Best Actress. “I am so proud of my Elphie, my sister, my dear @cynthiaerivo,” she wrote. “Your brilliance is never ending and you deserve every flower (tulip) in every garden. I love you unconditionally, always.”

Wicked’s Nominations

Wicked received 10 nominations, tying with The Brutalist as the second-most nominated film and trailing behind Emilia Pérez, which earned 13 noms. Along with acting, Wicked also scored nods for Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup & Hairstyling.

Grande concluded her emotional note by making a clever reference that only Wicked superfans would notice, using a line that was cut from the film. “I don’t quite have all my words yet, I’m still trying to breathe,” she wrote. “But thank you. Oh my goodness, thank you. Universal, Marc, my family, my heart. Lemons and melons and pears, oh my.”