Ariana Grande is speaking out against the criticism she has received for her change in voice Evil role.
The singer, who will play Glenda alongside Cynthia Erivo in the Jon M. Chu-directed film based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 book, has been called out online for her different speaking voices.
After appearing on Penn Badgley's Shatteredthe singer poked fun at TikTok because her voice seemed to be heard in different registers. “I intentionally change my vocal position (high/low) often depending on how much I sing,” he wrote at the time. “I've always done HELLO.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair released Monday, Grande reflected on the conversation surrounding her voice change for the role: “There's a part of the world that's not familiar with what it takes to transform your voice, whether it's singing or taking on a different dialect for a role”. or do a character voice for something.
Grande also pointed out the double standard that exists when a male actor is allowed to alter his voice for a role.
“When it's a male actor doing it, it's acclaimed,” Grande said. “There are definitely jokes that are made too, but it's always after they've been accompanied by praise: 'Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.' And that's just part of the job, really.
“It's as old as history for a woman in this industry,” she added. “You're treated differently and you're under a microscope in a way that some people aren't.”
Austin Butler was another star who gained attention mostly for his voice change thanks to his Oscar-nominated performance as Elvis Presley in Elvis. Filming for Baz Luhrmann Elvis ran for three years due to the pandemic, and Butler was constantly questioned about the deeper register of his voice during the films' promotional and awards campaign.
“I don't even think about it. I don't think I look like him yet, but I guess I do because I hear it a lot,” she said backstage at the 2023 Golden Globes. “I often liken it to when someone lives in another country for a long time, and I had three years where that was my only goal in life. So I'm sure there are pieces of my DNA that will always be connected that way.”
Despite the conversation surrounding his voice during promotion EvilGrande said, “It's something I'm really proud of.”
“Part of the reason I wanted to engage [on TikTok] it's because I'm really proud of my hard work and the fact that I gave 100% of myself, including my physicality, to this role. I'm proud of it, so I wanted to protect it,” she said.
The first of two from Chu Evil the film will be released on November 27th in theaters.