"And then gon send them home empty": Memes erupt as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will reportedly open Oscars with a 'Wicked' performance

The news that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would allegedly begin this year's Oscars with a Wicked performance has the internet in a bit of a tweet-after-tweet frenzy. Reactions to the news were varied, with some fans expressing excitement and others making fun of the Academy's choice to highlight the well-loved musical without actually recognizing its actors yet.

When it was officially announced that the two would be performing, one fan tweeted,

"And then gon send them home empty," which nicely captured the uncertainty.

The comment hilariously sums up the feelings of many Wicked fans, who are both excited to watch the formidable combo play and doubtful that Wicked will win any prizes.

Fans react with memes as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo prepare to bring Wicked to the Oscars stage

Following the Oscars announcement, social media was a bustle of activity as fans expressed enthusiasm but also doubt about the performance. Many used the occasion to express their opinions about Wicked's lasting popularity and the reality that, despite its success, it hasn't always gotten the credit. Some people think it merits significant award events. The mood was nicely encapsulated by one admirer, who tweeted,

"This and Lisa is what we’re here for,” with another chiming in,

“we’ll all be defying gravity,” referencing the iconic number from Wicked.

The online conversation didn’t stop there, as others humorously pointed out that the Academy might be using the star-studded performance to boost viewership, tweeting,

“Using them for views, only for them to lose.”

Meanwhile, the speculation about how the performance would be staged led to some imaginative guesses.

“They will be flying on stage then,” one user joked, while another took a more critical angle, writing,

“That’s a slap in the face knowing they haven’t received any award for this movie,” accompanied by a video meme of a dog looking confused.

And, of course, the memes kept coming. One Twitter user summed up the general fan mood by posting a gif of the red and yellow Teletubbies skipping hand-in-hand with the caption,

“Them the whole night,” as if to imply the two would be joyfully skipping delightfully in their own company.

Another added to the humor by saying,

“I want to see Zoe Saldana performing after that presentation,” teasing the idea of yet another unexpected performance at the Oscars.

Background on the performance and ‘Wicked’s’ legacy

With Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who have already received a lot of praise for their individual performances as Glinda and Elphaba, this performance, if confirmed, would be a high-profile moment for the film at the 2025 Oscars.

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Even though their rendition of Wicked hasn't been released yet, the musical is among the most popular Broadway musicals ever, renowned for its stirring narrative, catchy tunes, and the emotional bond between its two main characters (or actors, realistically). Although the musical has earned several accolades over the years (with a different cast), including Grammys and Tonys, it has frequently been utilized as a promotional tool at significant events without necessarily getting recognition in return.

Some fans feel the Oscars performance might be more about driving attention to the awards show than recognizing the talent behind the musical. This isn't unusual; previous performances from films like Frozen, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman have all used songs to add spectacle at the Oscars. The film performers' performance will surely be one of the most anticipated parts of the evening, regardless of whether it results in prizes.

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