Stars salute screen-to-stage icons
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo turned a film-and-theater celebration in Los Angeles into the night’s must-share performance on Friday, delivering a brisk, brass-backed “Get Happy”/“Happy Days Are Here Again” medley that echoed the classic Barbra Streisand–Judy Garland pairing. Organizers billed the segment as a tribute to performers who bridge Broadway and movie musicals, but few in the room expected both pop-era vocal firepower and old-Hollywood phrasing in the same number. Grande led off with a lean, jazzy “Get Happy,” Erivo slipped in on harmony, and the two traded lines in a finale that drew the longest ovation of the program. Guests said the moment underlined how central musical storytelling has become again to studios hunting for dependable theatrical wins.

Hollywood’s musical lane stays busy
The duet capped an evening that also showcased footage from Universal’s “Wicked,” where both singers star, and new campaigns from streamers pushing concert-style specials ahead of holiday viewing. Producers in the room pointed out that 2025’s box-office softness for midbudget dramas has left live-performance films, music-driven biopics and prestige remakes as the safest crossover bets. Agents said the Grande–Erivo medley was clipped and cleared for social in real time to maximize weekend buzz, part of a wider shift in awards-season strategy toward instantly shareable performance content. While no new casting was announced on stage, executives noted that the warm reception gives studio marketers cover to keep music-heavy assets at the center of year-end campaigns.