The rest of the world spent the past decade getting acquainted with Ariana Grande‘s innumerable talents, but I Love LA actor Josh Hutcherson was tapped in with the Wicked star’s golden pipes during her Victorious days.
During a stop at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on (Nov. 18), Hutcherson recounted befriending Grande during their teen years, and her steadfast commitment to pursuing a singing career.
“When I was 15-17, I was friends with a bunch of the cast of Victorious,” he explained to Fallon. “I met Ariana multiple times in that day and age. She, one day, told me, ‘I’m a really good singer.’ I was like, ‘I believe you.’ Then she was like, ‘No, I can do the Mariah Carey, like, whistle sing.’ I was like, ‘Really?’ [And she said], ‘Yeah, watch!’ It was like a whole dolphin-voice-sounding thing. I was like, ‘You’re really good!’ She’s like, ‘I’m gonna be a singer too.’ Cut to [present-day] Ariana Grande … she was right!”
Grande starred as Cat Valentine for all four seasons of Victorious from 2010 to 2013. The following year, she reprised her role in Sam & Cat, a spinoff that lasted just one season and aired in the interim between her debut and sophomore studio albums. Of course, Grande quickly transitioned into a pop career that’s earned her nine Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers, six Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, and two Grammy wins. Last year, Billboard crowned her the No. 9 Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century, and, this year, she was named the No. 12 Top Songwriter of the 21st Century on the Hot 100.
Grande’s famous pipes have also resulted in two official collaborations with Carey: 2020’s “Oh Santa!” remix (with Jennifer Hudson) and 2024’s “Yes, And?” remix. At September’s MTV Video Music Awards, Grande delivered a heartfelt speech while presenting Carey with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award — before winning three Moonpeople of her own that very night.
Last year, Grande made her grand, formal return to the silver screen in Wicked, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a supporting role. The “We Can’t Be Friends” singer will reprise her role in Wicked: For Good, which hits theaters on Friday (Nov. 21), and is expected to follow in the box office-conquering, award-winning footsteps of its prequel.
Watch Josh Hutcherson reminisce on befriending Ariana Grande below.
