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Ariana Grande Stepping Away From Spotlight over Public Scrutiny

Producers will recast the role as the West End revival moves ahead with Jonathan Bailey and Marianne Elliott.

  • On Sunday, August 2, 2026, Ariana Grande withdrew from the London revival of Sunday in the Park With George. Producers confirmed the production will still open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, with recasting to be announced.
  • A representative for Grande confirmed she is taking a 'much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances' after her Eternal Sunshine Tour concludes September 1. The decision follows growing concern over her health and public scrutiny.
  • Originally, Grande was slated to star as Dot and Marie opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey. Directed by Marianne Elliott, the Stephen Sondheim revival remains scheduled for summer 2027.
  • Empire Street Productions expressed full support, stating, 'We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.' The team wished her nothing but the best.
  • Casting for the musical's ensemble continues as planned, while Grande's only other publicly-known commitment is a role in the comedy Focker-In-Law, scheduled for release over Thanksgiving. Her film participation status remains unclear.
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On Monday (3), the singer and actress Ariana Grande surprised her fans around the world by announcing that she would pause her career, motivated by comments about her body and extreme skinnyness, especially in the takes of the music clip "Petal". Days before, her team decided to try to fight another problem in the artist's 33-year-old career, and entered California Justice, United States, to try to identify those responsible for a series of hack…

·Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Ariana Grande said at a concert in Chicago that her decision to step back from the public eye after her "Eternal Sunshine" tour was not a hasty one. The singer told fans that some things can be exaggerated in public and that she made the decision a long time ago, not impulsively. "I want you to know that a lot of things can be true at the same time," she added. A day earlier, producers of the London production of Stephen Sondheim's musical "Sund…

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Just Jared broke the news on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
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