This Is The Secret Meaning Behind Ariana Grande's Golden Globes Red Carpet Look

The Wicked star paid homage to the movie in a low-key way with her first awards season ensemble.
Ariana Grande at the Golden Globes
Ariana Grande at the Golden Globes
via Associated Press

Throughout the press tour for the big-screen adaptation of Wicked last year, Ariana Grande kept it pretty in pink in homage to her character, Glinda.

So, it might surprise you to hear that for her first major outing of this year’s awards season, she took a rather different approach.

At Sunday night’s Golden Globes – where she was nominated for her performance in the hit movie musical – the Grammy-winning singer walked the red carpet in an elaborate golden dress.

However, making her way into the event, she revealed that the dress was still her way of paying tribute to Wicked.

Ariana Grande referenced Wicked in a more subtle way at the 2025 Golden Globes
Ariana Grande referenced Wicked in a more subtle way at the 2025 Golden Globes
via Associated Press

Revealing that her dress was a vintage Givenchy dress from 1966, Ariana told Variety: “My stylist and I found it, and it’s yellow because, ‘follow the yellow brick road’.”

She added: “And it’s one of Glinda’s favourite colours – here we are.”

Ariana Grande describes how her #GoldenGlobes dress honors Glinda. https://t.co/MYdYslreH8 pic.twitter.com/vme3Jyt7gz

— Variety (@Variety) January 6, 2025

Ariana and her co-star Cynthia Erivo were both nominated for awards for their performances as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, in Wicked.

The film itself was up for four awards in total, also scoring nods in the Best Film (Musical Or Comedy) and Cinematic And Box Office Achievement categories.

Both Ariana and Cynthia are now hot favourites to score nominations at the upcoming Oscars.

Later this year, the pair will reprise their Wicked roles in the sequel Wicked For Good, which will explore the second half of the original stage play.

As with the first film, they’ll be joined by an all-star cast that includes Bridgerton heartthrob Jonathan Bailey, recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Hollywood icon Jeff Goldblum, rising star Marissa Bode and Broadway performer Ethan Slater, with whom Ariana is now in a relationship after first meeting on set.

Wicked For Good will feature two brand new songs, written by the original movie’s composer Stephen Schwartz.

Check out more looks from the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet below…

Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Ayo Edebiri

Nominated (Best Performance In A TV Series – Musical Or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Zoe Saldaña

Nominated

via Associated Press
Jessica Gunning

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A TV Show)

via Associated Press
Cynthia Erivo

Nominated (Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical)

via Associated Press
Andrew Scott

Nominated (Best Performance In A Limited Series, Anthology Series Or TV Movie)

via Associated Press
Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama)

via Associated Press
Richard Gadd

Nominated (Best Performance In A Limited Series, Anthology Series Or TV Movie)

via Associated Press
Zendaya

Nominated

via Associated Press
Timothée Chalamet

Nominated

via Associated Press
Viola Davis

Winner (Cecile B DeMille Award)

via Associated Press
Angelina Jolie

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama)

via Associated Press
Kate Winslet

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama)

via Associated Press
Cate Blanchett

Nominated (Best Performance In A Limited Series, Anthology Series Or TV Movie)

via Associated Press
Mikey Madison

Nominated

via Associated Press
Miley Cyrus

Nominated (Best Original Song)

via Associated Press
Cooper Koch

Nominated (Best Performance In A Limited Series, Anthology Series Or TV Movie)

via Associated Press
Pamela Anderson

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama)

via Associated Press
Glenn Close

Presenter

via Associated Press
Leighton Meester and Adam Brody

Nominated (Best Performance In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Ariana Grande

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A Film)

via Associated Press
Andrew Garfield

Presenter

via Associated Press
Daniel Craig

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Drama)

via Associated Press
Emma Stone

Nominated (Best Film – Musical Or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Quinta Brunson

Nominated (Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Sebastian Stan

Nominated (twice!)

via Associated Press
Isabella Rosselini

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A Film)

via Associated Press
Glen Powell

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Anna Sawai

Nominated (Best Performance In A Television Series – Drama)

David Fisher/Shutterstock
Jeremy Strong

Nominated (Best Supporting Actor In A Movie)

via Associated Press
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco

Nominated (x2)

via Associated Press
Karla Sofía Gascon

Nominated

Jennifer Coolidge
David Fisher/Shutterstock

Presenter

via Associated Press
Colman Domingo

Nominated

via Associated Press
Tilda Swinton

Nominated

via Associated Press
Allison Janney

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A TV Show)

via Associated Press
Kerry Washington

Presenter

via Associated Press
Jack Lowden

Nominated (Best Supporting Actor In A TV Series)

via Associated Press
Nikki Glaser

Host

via Associated Press
Anya Taylor-Joy

Presenter

via Associated Press
Keira Knightley

Nominated

via Associated Press
Jean Smart

Nominated

via Associated Press
Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons

Nominated (Best Performance In A Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Ali Wong

Nominated (Best Stand-Up Special)

via Associated Press
Jonathan Van Ness

Red carpet presenter

via Associated Press
Kathy Bates

Presenter

via Associated Press
Amy Adams

Nominated

via Associated Press
Jodie Foster
via Associated Press
Fernanda Torres

Nominated

via Associated Press
Dakota Fanning

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A TV Show)

via Associated Press
Nava Mau
via Associated Press
Kristen Bell

Nominated (Best Performance In A TV Series – Musical Or Comedy)

via Associated Press
Ariana DeBose

Presenter

via Associated Press
Mindy Kaling

Presenter

via Associated Press
Nicolas Alexander Chavez
82nd Golden Globes - Arrivals
via Associated Press
Janelle James
via Associated Press
Tyler James Williams
via Associated Press
Auliʻi Cravalho

Presenter

via Associated Press
Maren Morris

Nominated (Best Original Song)

via Associated Press
Lilly Singh
via Associated Press
Hannah Einbinder

Nominated (Best Supporting Actress In A TV Show)

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