Ariana Grande Stepping Back After Tour, Exits West End Sondheim
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- Grande's rep told People she will take 'a step back from visibility' after completing the Eternal Sunshine Tour, citing 'endless, ongoing public scrutiny' as the driver, though she intends to finish the tour 'healthily and happily.'
- The Eternal Sunshine Tour is scheduled to wrap on Sept. 1, setting up an early-fall pause from public-facing appearances.
- Grande has dropped out of Stephen Sondheim's West End revival of 'Sunday in the Park With George,' where she was set to star alongside Jonathan Bailey.
- Universal's 'Focker-in-Law' is positioned as a holiday tentpole arriving the day before Thanksgiving, likely requiring a splashy promotional push from Grande alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller.
- Grande reached Hollywood A-list status with the 2024 'Wicked' film as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba, earning Academy Award nominations for best picture and best supporting actress; the film won Oscars for best costume design and best production design.
- The 'Wicked' press tour was a globe-trotting affair for Grande and Erivo, while the sequel 'Wicked: For Good' hit but required notably less promotional legwork from its stars.
Why it matters: Grande is exiting one major commitment (a Sondheim West End revival alongside Jonathan Bailey) immediately before she's contractually pulled back into another — Universal's Thanksgiving tentpole 'Focker-in-Law' with De Niro and Stiller — meaning her 'step back' is a selective, not total, retreat from visibility, timed right after the Sept. 1 tour close.
