When Ariana Grande sat down on the yellow sofa of The Drew Barrymore Show, most people expected the usual press junket chatter. You know the drill. A few laughs about rehearsals, some light teasing about high notes, and a plug for the Wicked movie. But what actually happened turned into something that felt a lot more like a fever dream for theater nerds and film historians alike.
Drew Barrymore, ever the queen of high-stakes sentimentality, didn't just give Ariana a compliment. She brought out the literal 1939 wand used by Billie Burke—the original Glinda the Good Witch.
Honestly, seeing Drew Barrymore and Ariana Grande together in that moment was like watching two different eras of Hollywood "it girls" realize they speak the exact same language of nostalgia. Ariana didn't just "get happy." She broke down. There’s a specific kind of crying you do when a childhood dream hits you in the face at 100 miles per hour, and that was it.
The Surprise That Stopped the Internet
The wand itself is basically a holy relic. It’s four feet of sparkling film history that usually lives under the watchful eye of collectors or the Smithsonian. Drew managed to get it on loan, and when it appeared on set, the air kind of left the room.
Ariana's reaction—"Are you serious right now?"—became an instant meme, but it was the quiet reverence afterward that stuck. She held it like it might shatter. It’s rare to see a pop star of her magnitude look that small and humbled, but that’s the Drew Barrymore effect. Drew has this way of peeling back the "celebrity" layers until there’s just a person left.
✨ Don't miss: Shannon Tweed Net Worth: Why She is Much More Than a Rockstar Wife
Why this moment felt different
Most talk show surprises feel staged. This one didn't. Maybe it’s because both women share a very specific, very public history of being "the girl everyone knows."
- The Child Star Connection: Drew was the world's darling at seven; Ariana was a Nickelodeon staple by her teens. They both know the pressure of growing up in front of a lens.
- The Theater Geek Bond: They spent a good chunk of the interview talking about & Juliet on Broadway, which is actually where they first met in person.
- The Emotional Transparency: Drew wears her heart on her sleeve. Ariana has become increasingly open about her anxiety and the "heaviness" of fame. When they hug, it feels like they’re actually hugging, not just posing for the cameras.
What Most People Get Wrong About Their Friendship
There’s this assumption that these two just met because of the Wicked press tour. That’s not quite right. Their connection actually goes back to a series of DMs and a random Saturday night in New York.
Drew told Jimmy Fallon a while back that she basically couldn't figure out how to respond to Ariana's DMs because she was so intimidated by how cool she was. Imagine being Drew Barrymore and being nervous to text someone! Eventually, the ice broke when Drew took her daughters, Olive and Frankie, to see Ariana perform on Saturday Night Live.
They ended up hanging out backstage, just "chit-chatting," as Drew put it. It moved Ariana from being an "idol" to a "model" for Drew’s kids. That’s a heavy distinction. It’s the difference between liking someone’s music and wanting your daughters to actually behave like them.
🔗 Read more: Kellyanne Conway Age: Why Her 59th Year Matters More Than Ever
The "Wicked" Weight and the Therapy Movement
We can’t talk about Drew Barrymore and Ariana Grande without mentioning the shift in how they view the industry. During one of their segments, they touched on something surprisingly serious: the protection of young actors.
Ariana has been vocal lately about wanting therapy sessions written into the contracts of child stars. Having Drew Barrymore—the literal poster child for the "troubled" transition from kid star to adult—nodding along in agreement was powerful. It wasn't just fluff. It was two women who survived the machine talking about how to fix it for the next generation.
The Billie Burke Legacy
By bringing out that 1939 wand, Drew wasn't just doing a bit. She was passing a torch. For Ariana, playing Glinda wasn't just a job; it was a decade-long obsession. She’d been telling Kristin Chenoweth she wanted the role since she was a kid.
When Drew handed her that prop, she was essentially validating Ariana’s place in the Oz lineage. It was Drew saying, "You belong in this history."
💡 You might also like: Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Actionable Takeaways from the Barrymore-Grande Connection
If you’re looking at these two and wondering why their dynamic works so well, it’s because they’ve mastered the art of "Intelligent Optimism"—a phrase Drew uses constantly. Here is how that actually applies to real life:
- Acknowledge the history. Whether it’s your own career or a friendship, leaning into the "why" behind your passion (like Ariana’s love for the 1939 film) makes the current moment mean more.
- Use your platform for the "un-glamorous" stuff. Like their discussion on therapy in contracts, use your influence to advocate for structural changes in your own field.
- Don’t be afraid of the "big" gesture. Drew went to extreme lengths to get that wand on loan. Sometimes, showing someone you truly see their passion requires going way beyond a standard gift.
- Find your "Nonna" moments. Ariana often brings up her grandmother; Drew often talks about her daughters. Keeping yourself tethered to family is what keeps the Hollywood "noise" from becoming deafening.
At the end of the day, seeing Drew Barrymore and Ariana Grande together reminds us that even in a world of high-budget CGI and chart-topping singles, people are still just suckers for a bit of magic and a genuine connection. Whether it's a 1939 movie prop or a shared conversation about the struggles of child stardom, these two have proven that the best way to stay relevant is to stay human.
To truly understand the impact of their bond, look closer at Ariana's recent advocacy for mental health resources on film sets. It mirrors the very boundaries Drew has spent the last two decades building for herself. By supporting these initiatives, fans can help shift the industry standard from one of "survival" to one of "support," ensuring that future stars don't have to weather the same storms these two did.