By Joe Kottke
Ariana Grande plans to step away from the public eye following scrutinyamid ongoing discourse around her health, a representative told People
The representative told Peoplethat Grande will take “a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” which will wrap next month
Following the announcement, Empire Street Productions confirmedthat Grande has “decided to step back” from the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George,” which will open at the Barbican Center in London next summer
Grande was set to star as both Dot and Marie in the musical, opposite her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the production company said. “We wish her nothing but the best.”
The company said that the production will continue as planned and that new casting will be announced “in due course.”
NBC News has reached out to Grande’s representatives for comment
Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour, promoting the 2024 album of the same name, will conclude in London on Sept. 1
“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” a representative told People. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”
Grande’s health has been a topic of public discussion for several years. Last year, she addressed criticism of her appearance that amassed around the release of “Wicked: For Good.” At the time, she shared a 2024 interview in which she said that in society, “there’s a comfortability that we shouldn’t have, at all,” including commenting on how other people look, calling it “dangerous for all parties involved.”
Grande released her eighth album, “Petals,” on Friday. In an interview with Apple Music, she said it feels “very experimental and different,” adding that she tapped into the “unfiltered rage that I think we all feel sometimes.”
Public discourse around Grande’s body increased after the release of the music video for the title track. Grande portraysan actor named Pepper, who is repeatedly declared “not good enough” by casting executives in auditions before she kills them with a chain saw. As the video ends, a director yells “cut,” and Grande walks off the set, where she is praised for her talent
Grande is next scheduled to appear in the film “Focker-in-Law” alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The “Meet the Parents” franchise movie has a Nov. 25 release date and will be distributed by Universal Pictures — which shares Comcast as a parent company with NBC News
