Ariana Grande is receiving plenty of praise for her astounding performance as Glinda in Wicked, and it’s well deserved. While known for her singing talents, Grande showed off her serious acting chops for the musical film, and was a 2025 Golden Globe nominee this year. Now, fans are hoping the Positions artist joins another upcoming musical, Hercules as Meg. While Grande is "flattered" over that, she has her own idea for who should play the role, and I love that pick even more!
In a recent interview with Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, Grande chatted about her big year which not only included Wicked but also the release of her new album, Eternal Sunshine. It was also mentioned that her name had been mentioned in tandem with the upcoming Hercules live-action remake, especially after her Actors on Actors segment with Paul Mescal. When asked if she would be interested in playing Megara, the sarcastic, anti-romantic heroine of the film, Grande named a friend and past co-star as a better fit:
It’s really funny, because I grew up singing the Muses’ parts. [laughs] … I have seen some of that, but it’s never been an actual discussion. As much as I really love transforming for a role – and I do love the idea of, you know, a darker sort of – ‘c’ asterisk ‘unty’ role like Megara, I do think that I would be remiss if I didn’t say this, I think [Elizabeth] Gillies should be Megara. Do you know my friend Liz Gillies, she’s brilliant. Oh god, that would be a fantastic role for her.
I can totally see it! Elizabeth Gillies has an absolutely incredible singing voice, and the sass and sarcasm she showed as Jade on Victorious would perfectly translate to Meg. She also has the right look and would be great on the big screen. This suggestion has been thrown out by fans before, but hearing Ariana Grande validate it feels like it could be a real possibility.
Honestly, the Don't Look Up alum would be great too, and there would be a sweetness infused into that character, but Ms. Gillies has a natural cadence that would just capture the essence of the animated character.
Also, I love the idea of Grande as one of the Muses. She previously sung “Zero to Hero” and killed it for the 2015 album We Love Disney. The singing narrators are arguably the best part of the original film, and I think they have the best songs. In the film, there are five Muses, but maybe four other pop superstars could also take on the minor roles. In addition, having Grande as a Muse and Gillies as Meg would be the Victorious reunion fans have been waiting for. Both of their vocals on “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” would be absolutely epic.
The "Side to Side" singer also jokingly suggested another Hercules role she could play, saying:
That’s how I honestly feel. I’m very flattered. You know what? I should play the Danny DeVito role.
For context, in the animated Disney classic, Danny DeVito plays Phil, a grumpy satyr who helps train Hercules. Ariana Grande may not be the right casting for him, but the idea is absolutely hilarious. This is all just fan casting of course, and Disney has yet to announce the real casting of the live-action Hercules, which is set to be directed by the Russo Brothers. But, hopefully, speaking this into existence will help get the ball rolling. I'm confident that the castings of Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies would be great for the film.
Disney has yet to announce a release date for the upcoming live-action remake, and it's unclear as to when details will finally be announced. In the meantime, fans can revisit the original animated Hercules now by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription. You can also check out Ariana Grande in Wicked, which is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
