Wicked's Ariana Grande, Cynthia Ervio out of Oscars?
‘Wicked’ last year was a major hit at Academy Awards
January 22, 2026
Wicked: For Good, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, this year fails to impress Oscar jury.
The 2026 Academy Awards nominations announced on Thursday, January 22, witnessed a complete exit of Wicked and its star. Grande and Erivo were notably absent from the Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress races, despite strong awards-season buzz.
The film is the second half of the two-part movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked.
Last year, the movie after making headlines with more than 10 nominations, hype the fans expectations. Shockingly, with lackluster performance, the film’s sequel failed to garner any recognition in any category.
Both the stars were Oscar nominees last year for Wicked. Erivo lost Best Actress to Mikey Madison for Anora, while Grande was beaten by Zoe Saldaña in the Best Supporting Actress category for Emilia Pérez.
The snub follows a mixed awards season for the actresses. Erivo did not receive a nomination for Wicked: For Good at the Critics Choice Awards, though Grande was nominated there. Both stars were recognised by the Golden Globe Awards.
At the Globes, Rose Byrne won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, defeating Erivo. In the supporting category, Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another) won Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role over Grande.
The 2026 Oscars will be hosted by Conan O’Brien and air live on Sunday, March 15.
