Ariana Grande, who stars as Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked,” reportedly didn’t want to perform a new version of “Popular” in the musical film. Stephen Schwartz — the composer and lyricist of the original Broadway musical as well as the movie of the same name — recently told the Los Angeles Times that he and his music team considered refreshing the “rhythm” of the number in the spirit of “being open to new things” for the film.

Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz has revealed that Ariana Grande refused to make a suggested change to a classic song.

When it came to her take on Glinda, Ariana Grande didn't want to stray too far from the original Broadway musical version of 'Wicked'.

"Absolutely not, don't do it. I want to be Glinda, not Ariana Grande playing Glinda," the singer, who stars in the Universal movie adaptation of the musical, said.

Meanwhile, fans have been in a frenzy over rumors that Grande was paid $15 million to star as Glinda the Good Witch in the two-part movie musical, while Erivo, 37, only got $1 million to play Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.

When 'Wicked's composer and lyricist suggested a hip-hop version of "Popular" for the movie, Ariana Grande put a stop to it. Here's why she rejected the idea.

Universal Pictures said that the studio paid Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo the same for their performances in "Wicked."

Critics and fans alike have been raving about Ariana Grande‘s performance as Glinda in the new film adaptation of Wicked. But according to the show's original composer, one of her most pivotal scenes almost sounded very different.

The director Jon M. Chu narrates the musical scene, also featuring Cynthia Erivo, where Grande performs the song “Popular.”

The Jon M. Chu-directed movie raked in an estimated $162 million at the box office worldwide during its opening weekend.