Ariana Grande Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Ariana Grande thanked two special “friends” while accepting her first major award of the year.
“Thank you guys so much,” the 31-year-old Wicked star told the crowd at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival on Friday, January 3, where she was presented with the rising star award by The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge.
“You don’t know how much it means to me,” Grande continued. “I’ve been performing since I was a child, so I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words ‘rising star’ again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm.”
Grande’s quip was met with laughter from the audience as she added, “I thought I’d be hearing ‘slightly withering star’ or ‘drooping star’ by now, so thank you.”
In September 2023, Grande revealed to Vogue that she had botox and “a ton” of lip filler through the years, but had stopped using both in 2018.
“Being exposed to so many voices at a young age, and especially when people have things to say about your appearance at a young age, it’s really hard to know what’s worth hearing or not,” she explained at the time. “When you’re 17, you don’t really know that yet.”
In her speech on Friday, Grande also thanked Wicked director and “fearless leader” Jon M. Chu, as well as her costar and “brilliant sister” Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed Elphaba to Grande’s Glinda in the 2024 movie musical. She went on to say that comedy was her first love, even before she became a pop star.
“Being able to play Glinda the Good was not only the honor of my life but it felt like a homecoming,” Grande continued. “For those of you who don’t know, I started out in stand-up comedy. My first professional gig was in our living room in Boca Raton, Fla., [to entertain] my grandparents. I was 4 years old and my mom gave me $5.”
She continued, “I learned early on that laughter was one of our greatest escapes and I remember the infectious impact that it had, not only on the people in my life, but how it fed me in return. And the past 10 years when I was really focused on music I really missed that feeling. So it really does feel like the beginning of a new chapter.”
The Grammy winner has also been nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for her role as Galinda, aka Glinda the Good, in Wicked: Part One.
“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” Palm Springs Film Festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement regarding the singer/actress’s honor.
“Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent,” Chandi continued. “This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
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