Robert De Niro Praises Ariana Grande, Hasn’t Seen Wicked

The Hollywood legend praised his Focker-in-Law co-star while admitting he has yet to watch Ariana Grande’s Oscar-nominated performance as Glinda.

August 25, 2026: Robert De Niro has nothing but praise for Ariana Grande after working with the pop star on the upcoming comedy Focker-in-Law. There is just one small detail: despite Grande’s acclaimed performance as Glinda in Wicked, De Niro still has not watched the movie.

During an August 25 appearance on Today, De Niro was asked about working with Grande and whether he had seen her performance in the Wicked films. His answer was refreshingly honest.

“Of course I’ve met her, I worked with her,” De Niro said before confirming that he had not seen Wicked yet. He added that he is planning to watch it with his daughter.

But when it came to Grande herself, De Niro had no hesitation.

“Yeah, she’s terrific,” he said of working with the singer and actress. “She’s great.”

Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Olivia Jones (Ariana Grande)

Image Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures

Robert De Niro Praises Ariana Grande

De Niro and Grande recently worked together on Focker-in-Law, the fourth installment in the long-running Meet the Parents franchise.

While speaking about the experience, the veteran actor made it clear that Grande impressed him on set. He had previously praised her professionalism, saying she was “very professional” and “very quick” while describing her as someone who was able to understand the work and become part of the filmmaking process quickly.

That praise is especially notable considering De Niro’s decades-long career and his experience working with some of Hollywood’s biggest performers.

De Niro Still Hasn’t Seen Wicked

The surprising part of the interview came when De Niro admitted that he has not watched Wicked.

Grande’s performance as Glinda the Good Witch became one of the biggest talking points surrounding the 2024 musical film. She reprised the role in Wicked: For Good, the 2025 sequel, and earned an Oscar nomination for her first performance as Glinda.

Despite the enormous success of the films, De Niro has somehow managed to miss both movies so far.

However, he does have plans to change that.

The actor said he is trying to watch Wicked with his daughter, who has already seen it.

Ariana Grande and Robert De Niro Star in Focker-in-Law

Fans will get to see Grande and De Niro together on the big screen when Focker-in-Law arrives in theaters on November 25.

The film brings back Ben Stiller, De Niro, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo for another chapter in the Meet the Parents franchise. Grande joins the cast as Olivia Jones, a triathlete who is engaged to Henry Focker, the son of Stiller’s Greg Focker and the grandson of De Niro’s Jack Byrnes.

That family connection puts Grande’s character directly into the middle of the familiar Focker-Byrnes dynamic.

And according to Grande, her character actually gets along very well with Jack.

Grande’s Olivia Jones Wins Over Jack Byrnes

Grande previously described her Focker-in-Law character as someone who immediately connects with De Niro’s Jack Byrnes.

During a conversation with Adam Sandler, Grande explained that Olivia is Henry’s girlfriend and that Greg is not particularly sure about her. The situation becomes even more complicated because Olivia gets along “gorgeously” with Jack, who quickly approves of her.

That setup should give De Niro plenty of opportunities to play the intense but comedic Jack Byrnes opposite Grande’s new character.

It also appears that the positive relationship between their characters mirrors the real-life experience the two actors had while filming.

Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked For Good.

Image Credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Ariana Grande Was Excited to Work With De Niro

While De Niro is praising Grande, the feeling is very much mutual.

Grande has previously spoken warmly about working with De Niro, describing the experience as amazing and saying that she “absolutely adore[s] him.” She also praised him as one of the greatest actors of all time and said it was lovely getting to know him as a person.

Grande even compared the experience of working with De Niro to meeting someone connected to her Italian family background.

So while De Niro still has not seen Wicked, it certainly sounds like the two actors enjoyed working together on their new comedy.

Grande’s Transition From Pop Star to Film Actress

Grande’s role in Focker-in-Law also continues an important shift in her career.

Although she has been acting since her Nickelodeon days, her performance as Glinda introduced her to a much wider film audience. Her work in Wicked earned widespread attention and an Oscar nomination, establishing her as a serious film performer alongside her already successful music career.

Grande has also spoken about how meaningful the role was for her personally. She had dreamed about playing Glinda since childhood and approached the audition with the feeling that the opportunity needed to be earned rather than simply handed to her because of her fame.

Her next major film role therefore arrives with considerably more attention.

Image Credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

What Is Focker-in-Law About?

Focker-in-Law continues the story of the Focker and Byrnes families, with Greg Focker once again navigating his complicated relationship with his father-in-law, Jack Byrnes.

The new story introduces the next generation through Henry Focker and his fiancée Olivia Jones, played by Grande. As Olivia becomes part of the family, the familiar tensions between Greg and Jack are expected to return.

The film also reunites the franchise’s original stars, including Stiller, De Niro, Danner and Polo.

When Does Focker-in-Law Come Out?

Focker-in-Law is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 25, 2026.

For Grande, it will be another major opportunity to show audiences what she can do outside of the Wicked universe.

For De Niro, meanwhile, it is another entry in a franchise that has been part of his comedy career for more than two decades.

And perhaps by the time the film hits theaters, De Niro will have finally checked Wicked off his watchlist.

Robert De Niro Has Some Catching Up to Do

It is hard to imagine someone who has not at least heard about Grande’s performance as Glinda after the impact Wicked made. But De Niro’s admission is also a reminder that even major Hollywood stars do not necessarily see every big movie when everyone else does.

The good news is that he has a viewing partner lined up.

His daughter has already seen Wicked, and De Niro said he plans to watch it with her.

Until then, his opinion of Grande is based entirely on the experience they shared while making Focker-in-Law—and so far, he appears to be a fan.

HOLR has the latest celebrity and entertainment news, and Robert De Niro’s comments give fans another reason to look forward to seeing him and Ariana Grande together in Focker-in-Law. While he may still be behind on his Wicked viewing, the legendary actor has already made one thing clear: working with Grande was a terrific experience.

Now fans just have to wait and see what De Niro thinks once he finally meets Glinda.