‘You’ Star Penn Badgley Hilariously Details His No-Rehearsal Sing-Along With Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato

Published 04/21/2025, 11:20 PM EDT

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From quietly clocking Serena van der Woodsen on the Met Steps to commanding cult status with Netflix’s You, Penn Badgley has made a career like a seasoned method actor with a flair for mystery. But just when fans thought they had seen the full range of his on-screen portfolio, Badgley pulled out a rabbit from the hat with a surprise credit to his resume—impromptu pop star. In an unexpected plot twist even You could not have imagined, the Gossip Girl alum sent the internet into a frenzy with a no-rehearsal, no-warning sing-along with Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.

While his on-screen presence always hit the right notes, Badgley’s hilarious behind-the-scenes recap turned out to be music to the ears, that too on loop no less.

Penn Badgley opens up about his spontaneous karaoke with Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato

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In a recent conversation on Good Morning America, Netflix actor Penn Badgley shed light on the new season of You, only to take a musical detour with the biggest pop names in the industry. One of the hosts brought attention to Badgley’s Podcrushed podcast to ask whether he was “intimidated” tuning into an off-the-cuff performance in the respective episodes with pop icons, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.

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As the screen lit up with snippets of their unplanned jam session, Badgley sheepishly admitted not feeling browbeaten while lamenting he should have. He revealed about trying to harmonize with Grande and Lovato without prior rehearsals, highlighting the “cuts” in the videos. Badgley then confessed to cutting out on his “complete fumble on the harmony there.” However, within seconds, the scene shifted from a hilarious Badgley to an intense Joe, as the topic leaped to the fifth and final season of You.

Penn Badgley Reveals How Blake Lively Left His Mother Heartbroken, With a ‘Gossip Girl’ Era Wicked Prank

While Penn Badgley’s sing-along was all the drumbeat fans needed before his Netflix return, the actor let slip a thing or two about his personal preferences for Joe.

Penn Badgley shares his visual preferences with You’s Joe on Netflix

During his interview on Good Morning America ahead of his highly anticipated Netflix comeback, Penn Badgley, who portrays Joe Goldberg in You, illuminated the diverse makeovers he has owned up to in the show. Throughout You’s four seasons, Joe’s appearance has undergone multiple changes, especially with his hair and beard. Upon being asked if he had a preference for the look, Badgley admitted he wants Joe to look far from the real him.

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Badgley pointed out that he is never clean-shaven. So, for Joe, he does not mind going clean-shaven. As for whether he would like to take an attribute of the character after the show ends, Badgley did not mince his words, saying, “cheekbones.” In fact, he would also like to adopt the sit-and-listen characteristic of Joe. However, the probability of such informal karaoke might just become slim if that turns out to be the case.

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What do you think of Penn Badgley's humorous recollection of his sing-along with Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

2241 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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