Ariana Grande shared a “loving reminder” for those who constantly tell her she looks too skinny.
The star, who rose to fame on Nickelodeon as a teenager, has faced scrutiny over her appearance for years. But the analysis of her weight has intensified since she landed the biggest role of her career, playing Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked.
Amid the relentless messages expressing concern about her weight, the Grammy winner took to Instagram on Saturday (November 29) to post clips from a 2024 interview in which she addressed one of the most “dangerous” aspects of fame.
Ariana Grande has addressed the constant comments she receives about her weight
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“Resharing this from last year as a loving reminder to all,” she simply captioned the videos on her Instagram Stories.
During the interview, journalist Salima Jeanne Poumbga noted that Glinda adheres to beauty standards both for herself and to please others and remain popular. She then asked Ariana how she deals with beauty expectations, a subject that made the 32-year-old visibly emotional.
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“I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish really since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all,” she shared.
“I have heard it all. 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 also explained that the criticism is “something that is uncomfortable no matter what scale you’re experiencing it on,” whether the person being scrutinized is famous or not.
The Wicked actress posted a “loving reminder” to body-shamers
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“There’s a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on other’s looks, [their] appearance, what [we] think is going on behind the scenes, or [their] health.”
To illustrate her point, the We Can’t Be Friends singer shared an example that many people have experienced. Even when it comes from a place of care, she said, commenting on other people’s bodies is always intrusive and disrespectful.
“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?’. That is something that is uncomfortable and horrible no matter where it’s happening.”
She called the discourse surrounding her body—or anyone’s body—“dangerous” and said she’s fortunate to have a support system that helps her block out the unwanted “noise.”
“I think that I’m really lucky to have the support system that I have, and to just know and trust that I’m beautiful. But I do know what the pressure of that noise feels like. It’s been a resident in my life since I was 17. And I just don’t invite it in anymore. It’s not welcome.”
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Ariana also offered advice to those struggling with body-shaming comments, whether at a family reunion or online. She encouraged them to “block people” or “delete the app entirely,” stressing, “You keep yourself safe because no one has the right to say s**t.”
In April 2023, the actress and singer posted a three-minute video on TikTok in which she addressed health concerns about her body.
She reminded fans that looks can be deceiving and that the physique that many people associated with her “healthiest” self actually reflected a different reality.
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“There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. And personally, for me, the body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body,” she explained.
Still, many people continued to voice concern about Ariana’s appearance, with some comparing her to singer Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters, who passed away at age 32 from an eating-related disorder.
Another user did not believe Ariana, saying they were “tired of the gaslighting.”
During her Wicked press tour, fans have been expressing concern over what they describe as an underweight, unhealthy look
Image credits: SALLY
“I thought I was at my healthiest too when I was underweight. I said my body was naturally like this and I was listening to it,” a separate person shared.
Many others defended the Yes, And? singer, writing, “I can’t believe how rude people are towards her about her body. This is why she is saying this stuff it’s dangerous and it really is. You can really put somebody in a bad place or put them in a worse place.”
Image credits: arianagrande
Ariana explained that, at the time of her “healthy” pictures, she was taking antidepressants, drinking, and eating poorly. She described that period as “the lowest point” of her life.
Ariana has described the discourse surrounding her appearance as “dangerous”
Image credits: arianagrande
Image credits: SALLY
She concluded her message by urging her fans to think twice before speculating about someone else’s appearance.
“You never know what someone is going through, so even if you’re coming from a loving place or a caring place, that person probably is working on it or has a support system that they’re working on it with.
“You never know, so be gentle with each other and yourselves.”
Ariana’s comments about her health have sparked divided opinions among fans
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