Why the Eternally "Popular" French Manicure Is So Perfect for Ariana Grande in 'Wicked'
Glinda wants to be perceived as "good." These nails are the finishing touch.
From the moment she floats down from the sky in a giant pink bubble, Ariana Grande's Glinda in Wicked is styled to convince anyone who meets her that she's good. The so-called "good witch" wears a frothy, strapless ballgown laced with streaks of silver; her blonde hair has a gentle, unoffensive curl. Hands that hold her starburst pink wand are set with the most meticulously even French manicure with a bubble bath pink base.
It's this last familiar, feminine detail that caught my beauty editor eye the first time I saw Wicked, last week. Grande's Glinda (or Ga-linda, as she goes by at the start of the film), wears short, squoval French tips in every single scene. They're clean and neat, and coordinate with the shades of pink washed over her wardrobe and share of her Shiz University dorm room. In a beauty universe where swirling designs and embellished sets are more common, her simple nails stand out.
I'm sure a citizen of Oz would call a French manicure by another name. But the effect there is the same as it is here on Earth, where royals, celebrities, and women in politics often opt for French tips. It's elegant but not obtrusive; it's "Popular" because it blends in. As Glinda seeks power and a positive perception from everyone around her at Shiz, her nails need to be merely pretty without being a distraction. What's less threatening than a French manicure?
Ariana Grande, method dressing for Wicked's press tour with help from stylist Mimi Cuttrell, has stayed committed to French tips even as she's changed from pale pink Thom Browne dresses to butter yellow Ralph Lauren. If anything, the choice underscores her character's demure French mani onscreen even more. She uses every tool in her arsenal to beckon people closer to her "good-ness," even her fingernails.
In contrast, Cynthia Erivo—noted lover of a full set and 3D embellishments—wears much more intricate nails as Glinda's foil, Elphaba, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West. She begins the film with a sharp, black manicure matching her dour, high-neck dresses and pointed-toe boots. Her makeover during the song "Popular" includes a slight update, turning her nails "sparkly black, metallic green," as Erivo described them in a past Marie Claire interview. There's the sheen of her Glinda/Galinda makeover in the hint of sparkle, but she's truer to herself than how people see her in the color.
Wicked Part Two two arrives in 2025 with an update to Erivo's nail set, symbolic of Elphaba's continued transformation and arrival at her full powers. "In the second movie, they're much longer, much more expressive. We're playing with the marbling of it, we're playing with ombré," Erivo told us.
Ariana Grande hasn't dropped hints about her character's beauty evolution, but something tells me I'll see another set of French tips in the sequel. Glinda, if the movie follows the musical, will keep trying to "make good" by teaming with the Wizard of Oz over Elphaba—and a French manicure says she's sweetly committed to the cause, all the way down to her fingertips.
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Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”
Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.
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