Interview Quotes

First Meeting and Cinderella Moment

"My side of the story, please."

— Ariana Grande • 00:00:33

"First of all, I don't know if you remember, but we finally locked eyes during Katy Perry's roar."

— Ariana Grande • 00:00:41

"And then I look, and there's this beautiful woman, this beautiful presence reaching towards me, and it's Drew Barrymore."

— Ariana Grande • 00:00:53

"We held hands. We held hands like this across the row, and Katy Perry was still singing. And then you just made a little heart at me, and I was like, oh my goodness, I don't know when I'll ever see her again, but it felt like Cinderella in the front."

— Ariana Grande • 00:01:05

"Touching hands, a little ET-ish."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:01:20

The Wizard of Oz and Early Inspirations

"I think, you know, it kind of, not to sound too on the nose, but I think the first thing I remember really studying is Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, and I remember sitting in front of the TV and watching how she sang, how she held herself, how she, every little subtlety."

— Ariana Grande • 00:02:30

"She was probably my first, I guess, impersonation. I would do it for my grandparents and for my mom, and, oh my god, that's me!"

— Ariana Grande • 00:02:47

"Wait, do you know about the fact that I used to wear a Scream mask with this dress?"

— Ariana Grande • 00:02:57

The Nuances of Performance

"We're also talking about really difficult performances. Scream was so much harder than it looked, to have that type of hyperventilation, and tears, and energy for days after days. I have so much respect for what you've brought to this, the humanity."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:03:27

"You are subtle in moments, which I'm not good at. I'm a ham."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:03:43

"But there's also a lot just underneath the surface, and I think I really wanted to take the time to get to know her, and to get to know her insecurities, and her fears, and the things she's desperate for."

— Ariana Grande • 00:05:11

The Power of Friendship and Connection

"This beautiful electric connection friendship that's so true and real and palpable, and we all feel it and sense it."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:07:35

"It just really felt like such an intimate experience, considering the grandeur of it, and the size of what it actually was, and to see people take from it the most important thing, which is the themes, the forgiveness, the love, the friendship, and that is the true magic of it."

— Ariana Grande • 00:09:05

"And the pain in humanity, I don't think that I've seen a film, and what I said to Cynthia was, I, and I love the history of cinema, yet I don't feel like I've seen a film, especially female-led, that handles this humanity, and how people feel in the world, the way that you and Cynthia and John did together as a trifecta."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:09:39

"And it asks the question, are people good or wicked? And the answer is so complicated. And it also asks the question, once you know the truth, what do you do with it?"

— Ariana Grande • 00:10:35

Family, Mentorship, and Legacy

"I heard that you flew down to Florida to watch this with your Nona."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:13:53

"In her song called Ordinary Thing, Nona says, never go to bed without kissing goodnight. That's the worst thing you can do. And if you can't, and if you don't feel comfortable doing it, then you're in the wrong place. Get out."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:15:14

"John reminds me a lot of my grandpa in that way, which is the absolute highest compliment in the entire world. He was the best person in the world."

— Ariana Grande • 00:18:46

"Isn't that funny how we find, especially growing up in this industry, I always thought I will find the people that behave in a way that I want to model myself after."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:19:09

The Glinda Wand and "Silly Questions"

"Bring out the original Glinda wand, please."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:23:42

"What song do you have on repeat right now?"

— Drew Barrymore • 00:25:27

"Dancing Through Life by Johnny Bailey."

— Ariana Grande • 00:25:38

"What is your worst habit?"

— Ariana Grande • 00:26:40

"So when I get a manicure, if there's anything like any glops of glue, any tiny bit of gel that I can like find, I'll chew it off. And I, I, I, and then I ruin the whole thing."

— Ariana Grande • 00:26:53

Admiring Strength and Authenticity

"I admire you so much because I know how hard you do work to learn and to take care of yourself and to grow. And I know how young you started."

— Ariana Grande • 00:30:20

"And your strength and your heart and like who you are, the light that you bring and your ability to dance in the rain and preserve that childlike wonder."

— Ariana Grande • 00:30:53

"That means so much to me coming from you. I, as a mother, look at you so proud that my daughters and I love you so much because you're such a good person."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:31:47

"But you put out a film that literally in this world brings people together. Do you know what an accomplishment that is?"

— Drew Barrymore • 00:33:42

Recovering People Pleasers and Boundaries

"I've never known what it was like to put my own happiness first. I've been a tremendous people pleaser my whole life."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:34:25

"I am a recovering people pleaser."

— Ariana Grande • 00:35:21

"But sometimes, sometimes when we are tired or giving too much. It's okay to have a boundary in a loving and respectful way. Boundaries will save your life."

— Ariana Grande • 00:36:43

"Your grandfather would be so proud at how good you are to people. And it's so key to know that you have boundaries and have figured that out."

— Drew Barrymore • 00:38:24