Ariana Grande to miss Sao Paulo Wicked premiere after grounded flight

Ariana Grande announced she will not attend the world premiere of Wicked For Good in São Paulo on Tuesday after her flight was grounded for maintenance over a reported safety issue, forcing her and her team to deplane and delaying departure until the following morning, the singer and actress said on Instagram. The São Paulo screening opens the sequel's international premiere tour ahead of the film's Nov. 21 theatrical release.

"I can't believe this is happening and I am beyond devastated to be sending this message," Grande wrote on her Instagram stories. She said the plane would not be taking off until 11 a.m. the next day and that there was no feasible way to reach the premiere on time despite exhaustive efforts by her team and Universal Pictures. "My team and Universal have tried every single thing possible to fix this," she added, noting searches of alternate commercial and private flights, as well as connecting options, all of which she said would not arrive in time. Grande also said a private flight would require a permit that could not be obtained quickly enough.

Grande, who reprises her role as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba in the followup to the 2024 Wicked...