Wicked star Ariana Grande emerged at the box office with a great opening this Friday. However, the star has faced immense backlash for misinterpreting the term “queer” in the context of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz books. While promoting Wicked, her upcoming film, she made controversial remarks about the term.
Wicked, based on a novel by Gregory Maguire, tells the backstory of The Wizard Of Oz’ main antagonist, from the Wicked Witch Of The West. During promotional interviews, Ariana controversially suggested that Glinda “might be a little in the closet” and referenced “the L. Frank Baum books, where, like, literally the most commonly used word in the books is ‘queer.‘”
This statement sparked backlash on social media, with critics pointing out that when the books were published in the early 20th century, the word “queer” simply meant “strange” and was not used to describe sexual orientation. Fans have rashly reacted to the scene as a fan wrote, “I wish they’d stop interviewing celebrities; they only disappoint with the limited knowledge they have”. Another fan mockingly called her out as, “Ariana Grande is one of those ones where you know she’s not being dishonest. She’s simply just that stupid.”
Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Ariana Grande, the pop-icon-turned-actress, has achieved the biggest opening for a pop star with Wicked Part One. According to Deadline, Wicked: Part One has officially surpassed the debut weekend earnings of other iconic artists like Lady Gaga and many more.
Must Read: Charlize Theron Is The New Addition To Christopher Nolan’s Next Epic Vision!
