Fans of singer Ariana Grande were put off by a question asked of the singer while she chat on the red carpet interview at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
The Boca Raton, Florida-born singer-actress, 31, talked with Access Hollywood about her role as Glinda in the box office smash Wicked, for which she received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy.
Grande was asked who the first person she called was after she was offered the role, to which she said her mother, Joan Grande, 67.
The reporter for the TV show asked her, ‘Is your grandmother still alive,’ which Grande took in stride, responding, ‘Yes, my Nonna, she’s 99; Nonna was second.’
While Grande did not seem upset by the nature of the question, a number of her fans on social media felt otherwise, criticizing the reporter’s line of questioning and tone.
‘What happened to interviewers doing research before they ask questions,’ one fan asked, while another asked, ‘What did she just say?’
Fans of singer Ariana Grande, 31, were put off by a question asked of the singer while she chat on the red carpet interview at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California
Another fan asked, ‘Why would she ask it like that,’ while another observed, ‘That is such a risky question, why would she ask that.’
Another user pointed out how much worse the exchange could have been, asking, ‘What was she gonna do if she said no.’
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One user said they felt the reporter was trying to ask ‘a genuine question,’ while another said: ‘I don’t think it’s that deep, just a clumsy/insensitive move from the journalist.’
A user said the nature of the question was not appropriate for a red carpet exchange, noting, ‘That’s a question for after the second bottle of wine.’
One fan praised Grande, who lost in her category to Emilia Perez’s Zoe Saldana, for having ‘handled [the question] with grace.’
The Grammy-winning singer has past featured her grandmother Marjorie Grande in her work, as Marjorie performed on her famed granddaughter’s 2024 track ordinary things from her album Eternal Sunshine.
A fan referred to the collab, noting the reporter ‘obviously didn’t listen to nonna’s top 100 hit ordinary things.’
Another user added that a dose of politeness could have averted any potential awkwardness: ‘What happened to saying “hows your grandma?”‘
GOLDEN GLOBES 2025 WINNERS: AT A GLANCE
FILM
Best Film – Drama: The Brutalist
Best Film – Musical or Comedy: Emilia Pérez
Best Non-English Language Film: Emilia Pérez
Best Actress – Musical or Comedy: Demi Moore, The Substance
Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Best Actor – Drama: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Best Actress – Drama: Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Cinematic And Box Office Achievement: Wicked
Best Actor – Musical or Comedy: Sebastian Stan, A Different Man
Best supporting Actor – Musical or Comedy: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Emilia Perez led the way on the film side with four awards including Best Film – Musical or Comedy
TV
Best TV Series – Drama: Shōgun
Best TV Actress – Drama: Anna Sawai, Shōgun
Best TV Actor – Drama: Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun
Best Supporting Actor – TV: Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun
Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical: Hacks
Best TV Actress – Comedy or Musical: Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Limited TV Series: Baby Reindeer
Best Supporting Actress – TV: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer
Best TV Actor – Limited Series: Colin Farrell, The Penguin
Best TV Actress – Limited Series: Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
Shōgun was the most honored television series with four including coveted Best TV Series – Drama
Ariana Grande and her grandmother Marjorie Grande pictured in LA in November 2016
The red carpet chat drew a multitude of responses from fans, most agreeing it was tone deaf
Grande attended the high-profile award season event clad in a silk yellow 1966 Givenchy Haute Couture gown which had a bodice crafted with hand-beaded patterns.
Grande rounded out he luxe ensemble with white opera gloves and a Swarovski crystal choker with earrings, with her blonde locks styled back.
Marjorie – who will turn 100-years-old this upcoming October 12 – has past accompanied Ariana to award shows, including the Time gala in 2016, the American Music Awards in 2015 and the MTV Video Music Awards in 2014.
In a 2014 interview with the Today show, Marjorie said she knew Ariana was a talent from a young age.
She recalled how she suggested Ariana try out to play Annie in a local Boca Raton, Florida production of the famed musical.
Said Marjorie: ‘I said you know, Ariana could do that. She became the star. She auditioned and she became Annie.’
GOLDEN GLOBES 2025 WINNERS
FILM
Best Film – Drama
The Brutalist – WINNER
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
September 5
Best Film – Musical or Comedy
Anora
Challengers
Emilia Pérez – WINNER
A Real Pain
The Substance
Wicked
Emilia Perez earned top honor Best Film – Musical or Comedy
Best Non-English Language Film
All We Imagine as Light
Emilia Pérez – WINNER
The Girl with the Needle
I’m Still Here
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Vermiglio
Best Animated Film
Flow – WINNER
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Moana 2
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Cinematic And Box Office Achievement
Alien: Romulus
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Deadpool & Wolverine
Gladiator II
Inside Out 2
Twisters
Wicked – WINNER
The Wild Robot
Best Actress – Drama
Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl
Angelina Jolie, Maria
Nicole Kidman, Babygirl
Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here – WINNER
Kate Winslet, Lee
Best Actor – Drama
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist – WINNER
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Adrien Brody was recognized in the Best Actor – Drama category for The Brutalist
Best Actress – Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams, Nightbitch
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance – WINNER
Zendaya, Challengers
Best Actor – Musical or Comedy
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Hugh Grant, Heretic
Gabriel LaBelle, Saturday Night
Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness
Glen Powell, Hit Man
Sebastian Stan, A Different Man – WINNER
Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez – WINNER
Zoe Saldana was crowned Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy for Emilia Perez
Best supporting Actor – Musical or Comedy
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain – WINNER
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
Best director
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Edward Berger, Conclave
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist – WINNER
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light
Best screenplay
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Peter Straughan, Conclave – WINNER
Best Original Song
Beautiful That Way, The Last Showgirl
Compress/Repress, Challengers
El Mal, Emilia Pérez – WINNER
Forbidden Road, Better Man
Kiss The Sky, The Wild Robot
Mi Camino, Emilia Pérez
Best Original Film Score
Conclave
The Brutalist
The Wild Robot
Emilia Pérez
Challengers – WINNER
Dune: Part Two
TV
Best TV Series – Drama
The Diplomat
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Shōgun – WINNER
Squid Game
Slow Horses
The Day of the Jackal
Shōgun was the most honored television series with four including coveted Best TV Series – Drama
Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
The Gentlemen
Hacks – WINNER
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Best Limited TV Series
Baby Reindeer – WINNER
Disclaimer
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The Penguin
Ripley
True Detective: Night Country
Best TV Actress – Drama
Kathy Bates, Matlock
Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon
Maya Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Keira Knightley, Black Doves
Anna Sawai, Shōgun – WINNER
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Best TV Actor – Drama
Donald Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal
Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun – WINNER
Billy Bob Thornton, Landman (Paramount+)
Best TV Actress – Comedy or Musical
Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along
Jean Smart, Hacks – WINNER
Jean Smart earned Best TV Actress – Comedy or Musical for Hacks
Best TV Actor – Comedy or Musical
Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This
Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear – WINNER
Best TV Actress – Limited Series
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer
Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country – WINNER
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Sofía Vergara, Griselda
Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans
Kate Winslet, The Regime
Best TV Actor – Limited Series
Colin Farrell, The Penguin – WINNER
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Kevin Kline, Disclaimer
Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Best Supporting Actress – TV
Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Dakota Fanning, Ripley
Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer – WINNER
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country
Jessica Gunning took home Best Supporting Actress – TV for her incredible work on Baby Reindeer
Best Supporting Actor – TV
Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun – WINNER
Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Diego Luna, La Maquina
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Best TV Stand-Up Comedy Performance
Jamie Foxx, What Had Happened Was
Nikki Glaser, Someday You’ll Die
Seth Meyers, Dad Man Walking
Adam Sandler, Love You
Ali Wong, Single Lady – WINNER
Ramy Youssef, More Feelings
Ali Wong beat out Nikki Glaser for Best TV Stand-Up Comedy Performance