Ariana Grande Wasn’t Hiding Anything’ While Making ‘Wicked,’ Says Director

Ariana Grande has nothing to hide.

The actress and singer may have been in the midst of a divorce as she filmed both Wicked and Wicked: For Good, which were shot simultaneously, but she still delivered for the camera as Glinda (a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch of the North).

And according to the movie’s director, Jon M. Chu, those painful personal moments brought even more depth to Grande’s Oscar-nominated performance.

“I got to watch her on days be upset in her real life and have to open up even more to deliver [even] for us,” Chu told The New York Times as part of a Wednesday, Nov. 5 profile of Grande.

“She was not hiding anything from this camera,” he added.

Chu also told the publication that the “tumult” Grande, 32, was experiencing personally gave him the confidence that she could excel in the movie’s darker scenes.

Grande and 30-year-old real estate broker Dalton Gomez filed for divorce in July 2023, two months after news of the couple’s separation broke.

At the time, a source told PEOPLE that Gomez and Grande were “taking their time together to slowly work through the details of the agreement privately.”

The added, “They’ve been really caring and respectful of one another through every step of this process,” noting that though the pair had “moved on,” they had been “kind and patient” with one another amid their separation. 

The pair began dating in January 2020 and made their relationship official when they appeared together in the music video for the star’s song with Justin Bieber, “Stuck with U” in May of that year.

After announcing their engagement in December 2020, they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on May 15, 2021. Despite keeping their relationship private, Grande celebrated their second wedding anniversary in 2023 by posting a wedding snap on her Instagram Stories along with the message “I love him so.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Following the news of their split, sources confirmed to PEOPLE that Grande had moved on with her Wicked costar and Broadway alum Ethan Slater, with the pair reportedly meeting in 2022 on the set of the movie. 

“[Ariana] loves being with [Ethan],” a source told PEOPLE that December, adding, “It’s a very normal relationship.”

Slater and Grande also keep their relationship under wraps. But he did show his support for his girlfriend from afar when she won three VMAs for Video of the Year, Best Long Form Video, and Best Pop at the 2025 MTV VMAs.

Though he didn’t attend the Sept. 7. ceremony, Slater shared a video on his Instagram Stories of Grande giving her acceptance speech for Best Pop.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE last month, Chu shared what he hopes fans take away when watching Wicked: For Good.

Chu revealed that he was hopeful that “they [would] get the joy and love of movie one.” But he added that the second movie has “extra meat.”

“This is where you get to see Cynthia [Erivo] and Ariana really come to life as actors,” Chu continued, referring to Erivo, 38, who plays Elphaba (a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West) and Grande.

“This is their adult selves looking back at their childhood dreams, that are now shattered in front of them. So when you look back, I think people will see only both movies as one, not just the first movie and the second movie,” he added. “I’m excited to complete the story for people.”

As for whether he has any tricks up his sleeve for fans, Chu teased, “I hope they get a few surprises!”

Wicked: For Good hits theaters on Nov. 21