Wicked's Ariana & Kristin Agree Glinda Might Be "In The Closet"
Pink goes good with green.
For longtime Broadway fans, one of the most popular ships ever is the maybe-romance between Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked. Though never officially made canon, many theatre-goers have particularly wondered about Glinda’s enthrall with her university roommate — could her strong feelings for Elphaba be more than just friendship? After two decades of shipping, the most prominent Glinda actors have opened up about the queer subtext of the good witch.
"Glinda might be a little in the closet," Ariana Grande told Gay Times in a Nov. 21 interview. “But if there were a little more time, you never know. Give it a little more time.”
She can also understand why the Gelphie ship has been so popular throughout the years. “It is just a true love, and I think that transcends sexuality. It's just a deep safety within each other,” Grande said. “And trust and truth and just such a safe space for one another, which is what all relationships should be — whether it's romantic or platonic.”
Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda on Broadway, revealed she shares Grande’s read on the character. When E! News shared Grande’s quote about Glinda being in the closet to Instagram, Chenoweth shared her two cents in the comments section: “I thought so too way back when....”
The possible romantic chemistry between Glinda and Elphaba is made more explicit in Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked than in the musical adaptation. However, some stage productions have leaned into the more intimate side of the relationship, with the lead actors sometimes caressing one another’s faces or even kissing.
The newly released Wicked movie doesn’t go quite so far in this aspect, although Grande and Cynthia Erivo do make it very clear how much Glinda and Elphaba deeply care for one another. That said, There’s still Wicked: Part Two coming out in November 2025, which has a lot of potential to shake up the musical’s story even more.
