Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande Open Oscars With Stunning ‘Wicked’ Medley Honoring ‘Wizard of Oz’ & ‘The Wiz’

Kelli Boyle
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the 2025 Oscars with a stunning and moving medley of music created for The Wizard of Oz and its hit film adaptations, delivering a beautiful tribute to movie musical history with the songs selected and their fashion choices.

Dressed in a red glittering gown made as an homage to Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Grande began the show by singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The lighting design created a rainbow above her as she sang. As she left the stage, Erivo entered to sing “Home” from The Wiz while dressed in a white gown embellished with flowers.

Their medley was clearly crafted to honor the different film Dorothys, iconically played by Judy Garland and Diana Ross. Dorothy is expected to make an appearance in Wicked: For Good, the sequel coming out later this year.

Ariana Grande performs onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

The final song in their medley was “Defying Gravity,” the roaring final song from Wicked‘s first act that also closed out the first movie, nominated for 10 Oscars tonight including Best Picture. They sang the song’s final minutes, starting with the moment they start to sing in tandem.

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When it came time for Erivo to “fly,” Grande stepped to the side and watched as Erivo rose up on a platform centerstage, evoking the feeling of the stage production in Wicked on Broadway. The song ended with Erivo’s now signature Elphaba battle cry, and the performance received an uproarious standing ovation from the star-studded crowd.

There was a moment while Erivo was singing where the camera refocused on Grande in the background, who was looking at her co-star with admiration. For longtime Wicked Broadway fans, this felt like a loving reference to the Tonys performance when Kristin Chenoweth looked up at Idina Menzel in similar admiration while performing the same song.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

At the end, the cameras panned to Grande and Erivo’s partners, Wicked costar Ethan Slater and Emmy-winner Lena Waithe, as well as costar Michelle Yeoh (who was weeping, just like us) and director Jon M. Chu, who was cheering in delight.

Fans immediately took to Twitter/X to praise the performance. See videos of and reactions to the performance below.

The Oscars - ABC

The Oscars where to stream

The Wiz -

The Wiz where to stream

The Wizard of Oz -

The Wizard of Oz where to stream

Wicked - Peacock

Wicked where to stream

The Oscars

The Wiz

The Wizard of Oz

Wicked

Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo




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