Ariana Grande's Famous Ponytail Probably Helped Her Land This New Role

You heard it here first, folks (JK you definitely saw it on her Twitter first).

Ariana Grande and her famous ponytail will grace our TV screens as Penny Pingleton in NBC's production of "Hairspray Live!" on December 7.

Grande joins a star-studded cast of "Hairspray" and Broadway vets alike, such as Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Jennifer Hudson and Derek Hough.

Newcomer and Marymount Manhattan student Maddie Baillio has been casted as leading lady and Penny's best friend, Tracy Turnblad. Fierstein is reprising his Tony-winning role as Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother.

"Hairspray" is the story of an overweight teen who dreams of being casted on a live-TV dance show while helping promote integration in 1960s Baltimore.

Penny is Tracy's best friend who starts out as a paranoid rule-follower and then transitions into a feisty rule-breaker. Amanda Bynes played Penny in the 2007 movie adaption and her ponytails were just as high and just as fab as Ariana's.

"Hairspray" also highlights all of the outrageous, fabulous, over-the-top hairstyles of the 1960s (hence the name of the show), so it's only natural that Ariana, her crazy pipes and her pony to end all ponies have been chosen to take on this role.

Before she was giving Mariah Carey a run for her money with her insane singing chops and solo albums and before we saw her bright red hair on Nickelodeon's "Victorious" and "Sam & Cat," Grande actually starred in Jason Robert Brown's musical, "13."

Yup, Ariana Grande was one of those people who makes you feel like you've never done anything of value with your life ever: She was a child actor in a Broadway show.

Nothing kicks you right in the insecurity quite like watching actual children perform on the Great White Way and at the Tony Awards. So, thanks for yet another reminder that I HAVE DONE NOTHING WITH MY LIFE, ARIANA.

Real talk, though, all we need to know now is who the hell is being casted as Link Larkin because, let's be real, Zac Efron is going to be hard to beat.

Citations: Ariana Grande Joins Hairspray Live! Cast (Theatermania)