Here’s Exactly How Ariana Grande Pulled Off That Chandelier Stunt, And 14 More Facts About “Popular” From “Wicked”

“I Want To Be Glinda, Not Ariana Grande Playing Glinda”: 15 “Wicked” Behind-The-Scenes Facts Specifically About “Popular”It took five hours to film the moment when Glinda tries to transform Elphaba’s outfit because Ariana Grande kept improvising and making it “funnier and funnier.”

There are obviously spoilers ahead for Wicked!

It’s no secret that Wicked is the biggest and most talked about movie in theaters right now. Adapted from the beloved Broadway musical, Wicked famously tells the story of witches Elphaba and Glinda and what exactly happened before the events of The Wizard of Oz.

There are so many incredible moments in Part 1 of this movie adaptation. Like, I’ve been doing the “What Is This Feeling?” choreography alone in my apartment for days, and Cynthia Erivo’s “Defying Gravity” rendition still gives me chills.

But one of the most well-known moments from Wicked is probably Glinda’s “Popular,” which comes to life perfectly in the film. It has easily been one of the most highly-anticipated moments as fans geared up to watch the movie, and now that we have it, I simply can’t stop gushing over Ariana Grande’s performance during this musical number.

So, here are just 15 behind-the-scenes facts about the making of “Popular” in the Wicked movie:

1.

“Popular” was the very first song they filmed when production began on Wicked over two years ago. And “Popular” is the song Ariana Grande sang during the audition process for the film, too.

2.

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz said he was “open to new things for the movie,” and one early idea he and his music team presented was refreshing the rhythm of “Popular” and possibly “hip-hop it up a little bit.” Ariana immediately told them that she wouldn’t do that.

3.

While the musical number was entirely choreographed — starting on Ariana’s very first day of pre-production — the number did allow Ariana to play and find moments of comedy throughout the song. She told the Sentimental Men podcast that choreographer Christopher Scott was “so collaborative” and allowed her to tweak and add things.

4.

Glinda’s suite, which she shares with Elphaba, was one of the most important sets for Wicked, but because of all the props and set pieces inside, it was the smallest to film inside. In order to get certain overhead shots, the ceiling was removed at times.

5.

Since Glinda and Elphaba’s suite was so small, director Jon M. Chu was actually hiding under Glinda’s bed, watching a monitor while Ariana performed certain moments of the iconic musical number.

6.

Ariana, who has been vocal about her love for the original Broadway production, made sure to pay homage to the original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth, during “Popular.” In fact, the moment when Glinda raises her arms on “communicators” is a direct nod to Kristin’s portrayal of the character.

7.

Glinda’s outfit during this musical number includes spiraling circles out of ruffles on the sleeves and hem of her pink dress. Costume designer Paul Tazewell told the LA Times that it was a “reference to what Glinda wears in the stage musical.”

8.

Steadicam operator Karsten Jacobsen learned the choreography alongside Ariana. They rehearsed together on a plywood mock-up of the suite set so that he could move in sync with Ariana during the musical number.

9.

The only time Ariana had to be harnessed on wires for a stunt was when Glinda jumps on the banister of the suite’s balcony during “Popular.” Ariana fell off the banister once during a rehearsal, and she landed on a crash pad the stunt team had set up.

10.

During the entire filming process, Ariana said she and Cynthia Erivo each only got sick “once each,” with Ariana being ill the week before filming “Popular.” She told the New York Times, “I came to set with a mask on my final days of recovery to learn the hallway finale.”

11.

In order for Ariana to be able to spin on the chandelier during the song, someone had to be seated on the top of the chandelier while she spun for “safety reasons,” according to director Jon M. Chu. Doing this allowed Ariana to do the stunt without the need for wires and a harness.

12.

The first time Ariana rehearsed the chandelier stunt, one of the stunt coordinators stood on set to make sure everything went smoothly, and Ariana explained she almost kicked him in the face. This was also the last day Ariana had brown hair before she dyed it blonde for the role.

13.

Since so much was done practically on set without CGI or special effects, there were actually crew members hidden throughout the suite that would pull doors and make things open at the exact right moment during “Popular” as Glinda danced around.

14.

The moment in the middle of the musical number where Glinda tries to use her wand to change Elphaba’s outfit was shot over the course of five hours because Ariana kept improvising and making the moment “funnier and funnier.”

15.

And finally, the high kick that Glinda does while dancing down the hallway was also improvised by Ariana during rehearsals. After choreographer Christopher Scott saw her do it, he immediately incorporated it into the one-take final sequence.

What did you think of “Popular” in the Wicked movie adaptation? Heck, do you think Ariana Grande could win an Oscar for her performance? Tell us everything in the comments below!