Jeff Goldblum honors Wicked's 'beating heart,' costars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for EW's 2...

The twopart movie's Wizard celebrates the actors for being &34;so good they make what seems so impossible look effortless.&34; Jeff Goldblum honors Wicked's 'beating heart,' costars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for EW's 2025 Entertainers of the Year The twopart movie's Wizard celebrates the actors for being &34;so good they make what seems so impossible look effortless.&34; By Jeff Goldblum December 12, 2025 10:00 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/EntertainerOftheYearFinalCynthiaandAriana27bd1e87dc834d248552a4a92e975d99.

The two-part movie's Wizard celebrates the actors for being "so good they make what seems so impossible look effortless."

Jeff Goldblum honors Wicked's 'beating heart,' costars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo for EW's 2025 Entertainers of the Year

The two-part movie's Wizard celebrates the actors for being "so good they make what seems so impossible look effortless."

By Jeff Goldblum

December 12, 2025 10:00 a.m. ET

EW Entertainers of the Year Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, honored by Jeff Goldblum. Credit:

Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

*Pink goes good with green, and so does Ariana Grande with Cynthia Erivo. The *Wicked* stars have been at the forefront of a pop culture phenomenon going back to late 2024, first with their laughter- and tear-filled interviews, then as we got to experience their stunning vocals and powerhouse performances in *Part 1* and this year's *Wicked: For Good*, for which they are already repeat Golden Globe nominees.*

*They opened the 2025 Oscars with stunning renditions of *The Wizard of Oz*'s "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," *The Wiz*'s "Home," and their *Wicked* duet, "Defying Gravity," the song that landed them a 2026 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.*

*But they didn't stop there. In June, Erivo released her second studio album, *I Forgive You*, earning her a second Grammy nomination for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for the track "Be Okay." In August, she was the talk of the town for her three-night-only starring role in the Hollywood Bowl production of *Jesus Christ Superstar*. And she just released her second book, *Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They're Too Much*, which became a New York Times best-seller.*

*Grande was also busy with music, releasing *Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead*, an expanded version of her 2024 album, *Eternal Sunshine*. One week after its release, the album jumped to No. 1 on all major streaming platforms and the *Billboard 200*, her sixth No. 1 album.*

*And there was that *Wicked* NBC special, and entertaining Q&As to support the movie that quickly spread all over social media, and Grande and costar Jonathan Bailey laughing their way through their *New York Times* kitchen video, and the trio's delightful *Vogue *rapid-fire questions*.

*We can't get enough...and thank goodness there's more on tap in 2026 (Erivo is currently prepping a one-woman West End production of *Dracula*, where she'll play 23 characters; Grande will take *Eternal Sunshine* on tour, and has more acting in her future with *Focker In-Law* and the next season of *American Horror Story*).*

*One man who's been a witness the past four years to their talents, blossoming friendship and bond, and shared love of these *Wicked* characters is the costar, Jeff Goldblum. Below, he celebrates Erivo and Grande — perhaps the greatest team there's ever been.***

***Check back all week as ** reveals more of our 2025 Entertainers of the Year.***

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in 'Wicked: For Good'.

Universal Pictures

Well, well, well … isn't it a marvelous thing when a big, bellowing, beautiful story finds its way to the right people at the right moment? Even before I stepped into the Wizard's shoes, I had the pleasure and privilege of hearing and watching this extraordinary cast inhabit Oz with such gusto, tenderness, and depth.

Let me begin with Elphaba. Cynthia Erivo. My goodness. She sings and speaks from a place so cellular, so fiercely alive, that you feel her heart before you even understand her words. There's a kind of volcanic honesty in what she does. It rumbles. It surprises. It shakes you awake. Listening to her work, I often found myself leaning in, breath held, as if I were discovering this story for the very first time. She gives Elphaba a dimensionality that elevates the whole film. She is, in a word, astonishing.

And then there is Ariana Grande, whose Glinda floats in like a glistening bubble and then, somehow, breaks your heart with a single perfectly delivered syllable. Ariana brings an effervescence that is never frivolous; there is rigor and intelligence woven into every line she delivers. Her bright, crystalline voice carries both the optimism Glinda projects and the longing she tries so hard to conceal. Ariana's performance reminds you that lightness is its own kind of courage.

And I have to say, no surprise to actors, of course, that what these two women did with those roles, what layer after layer they added to each, was all the result of mind-numbing hard work, preparation, innovation, ingenuity, and astounding creativity. It looks easy, my friends, because they're so good they make what seems so impossible look effortless.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in 'Wicked: For Good'.

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Together, Cynthia and Ariana create a rare dynamic that feels like a genuine exchange of emotional energy, each of them deepening the other's performance in ways that anchor the story. What they share becomes the film's beating heart. What they've done and what each of my fellow actors has done in this film is create a world that feels textured and lived in.

Oh, oh, I have to mention that all they did was in concert with our amazing ring master, the clever, sly, and creative genius that is Jon M. Chu. He sees what others don't, or can't, and it was a privilege to watch him work his magic. A real actor's director.

To witness all this from my Wizardly perch was a joy of the highest order. These performances reminded me, again and again, why storytelling matters and how it can lift us, move us, and nudge us toward a fuller understanding of each other.

I am truly honored to have been part of this wondrous, wonder-filled company.**

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Source: EW

Published: December 17, 2025 at 07:38PM on Source: ANDY MAG

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