Ariana Grande’s powerful response to body shaming critics—The Wicked star’s message will leave you speechless

Ariana Grande, star of Wicked, has once again opened up about her struggles with body image criticism, describing such comments as “horrible” while emphasizing their damaging effects on mental health. Speaking candidly during the Wicked press tour’s London leg, Ariana shared her thoughts on societal beauty pressures and the overwhelming scrutiny she has faced throughout her career.

Speaking with French content creator Crazy Sally (Salima Jeanne Poumbga) alonside her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande reflected on the constant public attention and the toll it has taken over the years.

Facing years of criticism

When asked about coping with societal beauty standards and criticism, Wicked actress Ariana revealed how persistent the pressure has been since the beginning of her career. She described herself as “a specimen in a petri dish” in the public eye since she was 16 or 17, noting how the pressure has become a constant presence in her life.

Grande further shared the challenges of dealing with changing and relentless criticism, saying, “I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me, and then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.”

Ariana’s candid response highlighted her perspective on the mental toll of invasive societal expectations, as well as the dangers of “comfortability” with commenting on others’ physical appearances. She emphasized the need for empathy and understanding when addressing topics like body image, mental health, and societal beauty norms.

Society’s “Dangerous comfortability”

The Dangerous Woman singer spoke about how societal norms enable invasive commentary.

“Even if you go to Thanksgiving dinner and someone’s granny says, ‘Oh, my God, you look skinnier, what happened?’ or ‘You look heavier, what happened?’ It’s like, that is something that is uncomfortable and horrible no matter where it’s happening, no matter the scale it’s happening on,” she said.

Grande continued, emphasizing how these comments can harm mental well-being: “There’s a comfortability that people have commenting on that that I think is really dangerous, and it’s dangerous for all parties involved.”

A previous reflection on health and beauty

Grande previously shared her journey in April 2023 via TikTok, revealing her struggles with mental health, antidepressants, and unhealthy lifestyle habits that impacted her physical appearance.

“I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy,” she said, emphasizing that “that in fact wasn’t my healthy.”

Message of compassion

Grande closed her remarks with an important reminder to her audience. She urged followers to avoid judging others and to approach body image discussions with kindness.

“You never know what someone is going through, so be gentle with each other and with yourselves,” she said.

Grande’s message sheds light on the dangers of body shaming while offering a powerful call to understanding and empathy. Her comments continue to resonate as conversations about societal beauty standards persist.