Ariana Grande is sticking to her acting career, joining the cast of the new Meet the Parents sequel, set to hit theaters in 2026. The chart-topping artist will reprise her role in the fourth installment of the comedy franchise.
Grande’s involvement was confirmed by a rep for Universal Pictures, and she expressed excitement on Instagram, writing “Very thrilled to be joining (meeting) the family!!!!!!!” The film will mark Grande’s first acting role since completing the Wicked movie trilogy, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
The new Meet the Parents movie reunites Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro in their iconic roles as Greg Focker and Jack Byrnes. Details of the plot are still under wraps, but producer Jane Rosenthal hinted that the story will revolve around Stiller’s character meeting his kids for the first time.
Grande had previously stated her intention to scale back her music output to focus more on acting, citing a desire to reconnect with her musical theater roots and explore comedy. “I love acting,” she said in an interview. “It heals me to do that… I think reconnecting with this part of myself is really important.”
The film will be directed by John Hamburg, who also co-wrote the previous three installments. Stiller will produce the movie through his Red Hour Films banner, alongside John Lesher.
Grande’s decision to prioritize acting comes after rumors surrounding a Real Housewives-inspired murder mystery film from A24. However, Grande clarified that she had not engaged with that offer and focused on finding roles that challenge her creatively.
Source: https://ew.com/ariana-grande-meet-the-parents-4-post-wicked-acting-gig-11745477