Ariana Grande is in a тιԍнт race against Zoe Saldaña to see who will win Best Supporting Actress at the 2025 Oscars, and she could be part of a small group if she wins. Before playing the co-lead in Jon M. Chu’s big-screen adaptation of Wicked, Grande was best known for her career as a singer. The global pop star proved all doubts about her acting abilities were wrong thanks to her performance as Glinda. She was so good that calls for an Oscar nomination started quickly. That recognition officially came for Grande when the 2025 Oscar nominations were announced.
With a nomination secured, Ariana Grande hopes to break records with her Best Supporting Actress win. She’s already positioned to have the most screentime for any winner in this category, overcoming a 51-year record. However, this will require her to beat Zoe Saldaña, who has long been viewed as the favorite to win the category thanks to her career-best performance in Emilia Pérez and the film’s strong standing with Academy voters. There’s now a greater chance that Grande will win in light of Emilia Pérez‘s controversies, which increase the chance of the singer becoming an Oscar winner.
Ariana Grande Can Join 6 Musicians Who Have Won Acting Oscars
Jennifer Hudson, Cher, & Frank Sinatra Are Some Others
The Oscars have a strong history of recognizing actors who play musicians in movies. Still, it is rare for musicians to win acting Oscars, which is what Ariana Grande is trying to accomplish. It has only happened eight times before. The former winners with this distinction are Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Jennifer Hudson, Jared Leto, and Will Smith. In each instance, these individuals won acting Oscars after having successful music careers.
Longtime singer and actress Doris Day also has an Oscar, but hers is a Lifetime Achievement Award
Frank Sinatra was already a music icon when he won Best Supporting Actor for From Here to Eternity. Barbra Streisand won Best Actress for Funny Girl, and Cher won Best Supporting Actress for Moonstruck. It took nearly two decades for Jennifer Hudson to join the list after winning Best Supporting Actress. 30 Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto then won Best Supporting Actor for Dallas Buyers Club, and Will Smith won Best Actor for King Richard. Ariana Grande could join the group with a 2025 Oscars win.
Why Ariana Grande Could Beat Zoe Saldaña To Win The Oscars 2025 Best Supporting Actress
Ariana Grande May Benefit From Controversies Elsewhere
Although Zoe Saldaña appeared to be heading for a sweep of awards season before winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, that’s changed recently. Emilia Pérez is caught in another controversy, and while it has nothing to do with Saldaña’s performance, there could be an urge for voters not to recognize the film further. That would benefit Ariana Grande’s case to win Best Supporting Actress.
That said, Ariana Grande is deserving of winning Best Supporting Actress based on the merits of her performance alone and not strictly due to issues with Emilia Pérez. She did an exceptional job portraying Glinda’s bubbly, larger-than-life personality as well as the quiet heartbreak beneath the surface. Wicked would not work nearly as well if it were not for the strength of Grande’s performance and chemistry with Cynthia Erivo. She’s more than worthy of joining Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and other musicians who have won an acting Oscar.
