Video: Ariana Grande & Paul Mescal Talk 'Glicked' for Variety's Actors on Actors Series

On the latest episode of Variety's Actors on Actors series, Ariana Grande and Paul Mescal sat down to discuss their performances in two of the biggest films of the year: Wicked and Gladiator II.

Hitting theaters the same weekend, the release of the films was deemed by some as "Glicked," following in the footsteps of 2023's cultural phenomenon "Barbenheimer."

“I feel like our movies are strangely similar," Grande said in the interview. "I know that sounds absolutely absurd, but I really do feel like they are, because there are strong themes of evil versus good and dictatorship…They feel thematically intertwined.”

The pair also talked about their love of musical theater, with Grande falling in love with The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast as a child. For Mescal, he recalled starring in a production of The Phantom of the Opera.

“When I did ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ I was 16... And I remember being wheeled out on this fake organ and f*cking not having a clue how to play the organ," he explained, adding that believes it's in his blood to perform because his parents met onstage doing a production of Pirates of Penzance. Mescal is playing the role of Franklin Shepherd in Richard Linklater's forthcoming film of Merrily We Roll Along.

Also in the interview, the duo discussed stunts and costumes, voice work, and their mutual admiration for Cynthia Erivo. Watch the full conversation here or read it at Variety.

The Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Joining them is Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard. The first part was released on November 22, 2024, with Part Two hitting theaters on November 21, 2025.

From director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.