Ariana Grande has come under renewed public criticism after resharing a previous interview addressing comments about her appearance, an act that reignited rather than resolved the ongoing debate over her health during the "Wicked: For Good" press cycle.
On November 29, Grande posted an Instagram story featuring a lengthy clip from a December 2024 interview she gave alongside "Wicked" co-star Cynthia Erivo, in which she discussed the pressures of being scrutinized over her body since adolescence. She captioned the resurfaced video, "re-sharing this from last year as a loving reminder to all," according to Today.com and Fox News.
In the clip, Grande described being treated as "a specimen in a Petri dish" since she was 16 or 17, saying she had "heard it all" and "every version" of what critics claimed was wrong with her appearance. She added that such criticism is uncomfortable "no matter what scale you're experiencing it on," comparing it to a relative remarking on weight changes at a holiday dinner.
Ariana Grande Gives ‘Loving Reminder’ About Commenting on Appearances +2
The reshared clip arrived amid what multiple outlets describe as an intensifying wave of online commentary about Grande's physical appearance. According to IBTimes UK, a viral social media post in early August questioned whether Grande had been the source of tension on the "Wicked" set, noting that co-stars appeared to have "gained weight back" while Grande "continued to lose weight." Eating disorder specialists cited by the outlet warned that the surrounding commentary could pose risks, with some social media communities reportedly circulating Grande's red carpet photos in a manner researchers described as promoting unhealthy body ideals.
International Business Times
The renewed scrutiny coincides with major changes to Grande's public schedule. Her representatives confirmed she plans to step back from public life following the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, and she has withdrawn from a planned West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George," opposite "Wicked" co-star Jonathan Bailey, according to The National. Grande has said the version of herself once considered "healthy" by the public actually corresponded to a period when she was "on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly," and has asked the public to "be gentle with each other and with yourselves."
The National
The National
Neither Universal Pictures nor Grande's representatives have issued a new statement specifically addressing the latest round of criticism over her resurfaced remarks.