Ariana Grande’s grandmother was just 13 years old when The Wizard of Oz was first released. Eighty-five years later, she had the chance to see her granddaughter portray Glinda.
Ariana Grande, her boyfriend Ethan Slater, and her family recently took Ariana’s grandmother, Marjorie, who celebrated her 99th birthday in October, to see Wicked in theaters. When it comes to films set in the land of Oz, Marjorie has truly seen it all.
Ariana, who plays Glinda in Wicked—the beloved «good witch» originally portrayed in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz—shared a heartfelt video and photos from the outing on Instagram.
The family, including Marjorie, enjoyed the movie together in Boca Raton, Florida, where Ariana grew up. In the video, Marjorie can be seen smiling as she watches Glinda’s iconic number, «Popular,» while the family holds hands.
Marjorie was just 13 years old when The Wizard of Oz premiered in 1939, meaning she has witnessed every screen portrayal of Glinda, culminating in her granddaughter’s portrayal in Wicked.
The original Glinda was played by Billie Burke in The Wizard of Oz (1939), and Ariana joins a long line of actors who have taken on the role, with over a dozen adaptations of L. Frank Baum’s Oz novels between then and Wicked‘s theatrical debut.
Before Wicked, Michelle Williams portrayed Glinda in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and the character also appeared in various television series.
Ariana previously shared a video in 2012 where she revealed that Marjorie met her grandfather, Frank, when she was just 11 years old. They began dating as teenagers and eventually had two daughters, including Ariana and Frankie’s mother, Joan.
Marjorie also made a special appearance on Ariana’s album Eternal Sunshine, featured on the final track «ordinary things.» This collaboration made Marjorie the oldest person ever to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in March.
