Ariana Grande, who stars as Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked, initially auditioned for the role of Elphaba, the green-skinned witch.

The pop superstar sang Elphaba’s songs during her audition, a move that surprised director Jon M. Chu.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Chu revealed, “I assumed she was coming in for Glinda, but my casting director said, ‘No, she’s auditioning for Elphaba.’ Though unexpected, we let her go for it. She was wonderful, but in my mind, she was always Glinda.”

Grande confirmed the confusion during the Sentimental Man podcast, admitting, “I always felt in my heart that Glinda was my role. But when I heard I might read for both, I thought it was because people weren’t sure if my voice fit Glinda better than Elphaba.” She added, “I secretly knew I was meant to play Glinda.”

The highly anticipated adaptation, directed by Chu, tells the story of Glinda and Elphaba’s complex friendship before it’s torn apart by the manipulative Wizard of Oz. The cast includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, alongside Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Ethan Slater.

To bring authenticity to their performances, Grande and Erivo insisted on singing live during filming. “It was an immediate no-brainer,” Grande told E! News. Erivo agreed, saying, “There’s something special about live music in a room—it brings an unmatched energy.”

Wicked hit the theaters on November 22, 2024.

Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates were among the mourners at his funeral on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, following his death at 31 in Buenos Aires on October 16.

The service, held at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, southeast England, was attended by Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.

Liam’s former partner, Cheryl, who shares a son, Bear, with him, attended the service with her Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. Cheryl, 41, had been in a relationship with Liam from 2016 to 2018 and described her love for him as “unconditional and complete” after his passing.

Also at the funeral was Kate Cassidy, Liam’s girlfriend since October 2022, who was joined by Damian Hurley, son of actress Elizabeth Hurley. Kate had been with Liam in Argentina shortly before his death.

Music mogul Simon Cowell, who helped launch One Direction’s career after they appeared on The X Factor in 2010, attended with his partner Lauren Silverman.

Liam’s bandmates had previously expressed their devastation over the loss of their friend and bandmate.

Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, awaiting trial for racketeering and sex trafficking in 2025, has been accused of tampering with witnesses from prison.

Federal prosecutors allege that Combs used other inmates’ phone accounts, third-party services, and three-way calls to contact witnesses, violating prison regulations.

A recent motion claims Combs directed his family to reach out to witnesses and used a call with his son to imply attempts at blackmailing victims into silence or favorable testimony. He’s also accused of leveraging social media to influence potential jurors.

The charges against Combs are among the most serious faced by a high-profile figure in recent years. In October, over 100 individuals, including children, alleged rape, sexual assault, and exploitation at Combs’ hands, with many preparing lawsuits. These accusations have added to a mounting legal battle for the music mogul.

If convicted, Combs could receive a life sentence, marking a dramatic fall from grace for one of hip-hop’s most successful figures. Despite the gravity of the charges, Combs’ legal team continues to deny all allegations, labeling them as baseless and defamatory, while insisting on his innocence.