Ariana Grande‘s highly anticipated debut in the “American Horror Story” universe has been put on hold due to an inevitable scheduling conflict with its “Eternal Sunshine Tour.”
Grande is no newcomer to major Hollywood franchises, having starred in Universal Pictures’ two-part “Wicked” film series, but a source says she is now “extremely picky” about her next film role.
The singer also recently made an “unfortunate” announcement, revealing that she had to postpone several tour dates due to production issues.
Clash tour forces Ariana Grande to leave ‘American Horror Story’
Ariana Grande will no longer appear on season 13 of FX’s “American Horror Story,” which premieres September 24.
The “Thank U, Next” singer was initially announced as a cast member in October and would have joined familiar faces including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, John Waters, Frances Conroy and Leslie Grossman.
However, sources have confirmed that the pop superstar had to pull out of the upcoming season due to production schedule changes that conflict with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour,” according to Deadline.
It is understood she had not yet filmed any scenes for the season. Although the focus of season 13 has been kept under wraps, reports claim that John Carroll Lynch, Mena Suvari and Matt Fraser will reprise the characters they previously played on the anthology series.
Grande had teased a small AHS role
Grande’s appearance reportedly marked a major reunion with series creator Ryan Murphy after working together on the 2015 FOX comedy-horror series “Scream Queens,” where she played hapless sorority sister Chanel #2.
It’s still unclear what her role would have been, but she previously hinted that it would be brief, telling Variety last fall that she would likely only have a “tiny little thing” to do while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to join the franchise.
“I know a little bit [about the role]but what I know, I can’t say,” she said. “I’ll probably have a very small thing to do, but I’ll be grateful to be a part of it because I love everyone involved.”
Ariana Grande becomes more selective in Hollywood
Grande has continued to build her acting career since she was a child star on Nickelodeon’s “Victorious,” where she played Cat Valentine.
She then focused on music, winning several Grammy Awards before landing a major role in the “Wicked” film franchise, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2025.
A source told Life & Style magazine that after her success with “Wicked,” Grande received more film offers but became very selective. “Arianna doesn’t need constant praise or her face on billboards all over town,” a source close to her business team said. “It’s not an ego thing for her, and everyone knows she doesn’t get into acting because she needs the money.”
“She is extremely picky with filmmakers and she controls the quality of everything she can when she takes on a project,” the source added.
Grande wants every movie to stand out
The source then explained that Grande had no interest in making multiple films every year just to earn her salary, adding that money was no longer a driving force in her career.
“You’re not going to see her doing three or four movies a year just because she can,” the source continued, adding that the pop star “wants every movie she agrees to do to be special and singular, and that might mean saying ‘no’ to a lot of pretty tempting offers.”
The source also claimed that Grande was aware of “overexposure” but said her years in the spotlight had taught her to “put her head down, hide and focus on work.”
“That gives her a key advantage over other stars in her age group,” the source noted, adding that Grande also knows “she’s in a class of her own” and was highly motivated to earn another Oscar nomination.
Ariana Grande reschedules her tour dates
In the coming months, Grande remains busy with her “Eternal Sunshine Tour” and recently announced changes to three scheduled shows.
She revealed that her July 12 concert at New York’s Barclays Center would be moved to July 14. She also postponed two performances in Boston at TD Garden, originally scheduled for July 22 and 24, to July 23 and 26 respectively.
According to Page Six, Grande explained in an Instagram Story that the changes were necessary due to production issues and to ensure fans received the full experience, “delivered safely and as intended.”
“We are truly sorry for these unfortunate schedule changes,” she wrote. “This was our best and safest option because these production challenges caught our attention.”
“The most important thing for all of us is safety, first and foremost, and also making sure that you all see the show the way it’s supposed to be done,” she continued. “Thank you very much for your understanding and I look forward to seeing you.”
