Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez have had pretty similar journeys in their careers. Both started off as child actors before breaking into the music world. Gomez got her start on Barney & Friends, then moved on to star in Wizards of Waverly Place on the Disney Channel. On the other hand, Grande made her mark playing Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious. Now, as the 2025 Oscars approach, both pop stars are eyeing the big award with their notable movies, and interestingly, both happen to be musicals as well.

Their latest musical roles have made them top fan picks for Oscar contenders, and they could go head-to-head at the ceremony this year.

Ariana Grande had a huge hit this year with Wicked, while Selena Gomez’s critically acclaimed performance in Emilia Pérez has made her a familiar name in award circles. According to Variety’s Awards Circuit section, these two movies are among the top 2 projected leaders for nominations this year. This prediction looks even more likely after the recent Golden Globe nominations, which saw both Gomez and Grande nominated in the same category.

Gomez and Grande are both nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, and their films also earned a shared nomination for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Meanwhile, Karla Sofía Gascón from Emilia Pérez earned a nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, alongside Cynthia Erivo from Wicked in the same category. Despite the tough competition, though, there is no bad blood between the artists.

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In fact, they have been incredibly supportive of each other’s work from the very start of awards season.

Ariana Grande recently talked about what it was like being nominated alongside Selena Gomez at the Golden Globe Awards. In a chat with Entertainment Tonight at the Golden Globes First-Time Nominee Luncheon in Beverly Hills, where she created some very viral moments, the Wicked star said she was beyond excited to be recognized alongside Gomez. She even mentioned how thrilled she was to get to know the 'Who Says' star better and was really looking forward to sitting next to her at the event while bonding.

Meanwhile, Gomez has been hyping up Grande’s Wicked even before its release. After both of them landed nominations in the same Golden Globe category, Gomez also shared that Grande was one of the first to text her a sweet note. While these two have been nothing but kind and supportive of each other in interviews, their fans—who can be a little extra at times—will still turn this into a full-blown rivalry. 

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