Ariana Grande’s highly anticipated debut in the “American Horror Story” universe has been put on hold due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict with her “Eternal Sunshine Tour.”
Grande is no newcomer to major Hollywood franchises, having starred in Universal Pictures’ two-part “Wicked” film series, but a source claims she is now “being extremely picky” about her next movie role.
The singer also recently made an “unfortunate” announcement, revealing that she had to reschedule several tour dates due to production issues.
Ariana Grande will no longer appear in FX’s “American Horror Story” Season 13, which premieres on 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 confirmed that the pop superstar has had to withdraw from the upcoming season due to production schedule changes that conflict with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour,” per Deadline.
It is understood that she had not yet filmed any scenes for the season. While the focus of Season 13 has been kept under wraps, reports claim that John Carroll Lynch, Mena Suvari, and Matt Fraser will reprise characters they previously portrayed in the anthology series.
Grande Had Teased A Tiny ‘AHS’ Role
Grande’s appearance would have marked a major reunion with series creator Ryan Murphy after they worked together on the 2015 FOX comedy-horror series “Scream Queens,” where she famously played the ill-fated sorority sister Chanel #2.
It remains unclear what her role would have been, but she previously hinted that it would be brief, telling Variety last fall that she would likely have a “very tiny thing” to do while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to join the franchise.
“I know a little tiny bit [about the role], but what I know I can’t say,” she said. “I’ll probably have a very tiny thing to do in it, 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 her days as a child star on Nickelodeon’s “Victorious,” where she played Cat Valentine.
She later focused on music, earning multiple 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 following her success with “Wicked,” Grande has received more movie offers but has become highly selective. “Arianna doesn’t need praise or her face on billboards all over town constantly,” a source close to her business team said. “It’s not about ego for her, and everybody knows she’s not dipping her toe into movies because she needs the money.”
“She’s being extremely picky about filmmakers, and she’s quality-controlling everything she can when she commits to a project,” the insider added.
Grande Wants Every Movie To Stand Out
The insider went on to explain that Grande has no interest in making multiple movies each year simply for the paycheck, adding that money is no longer a driving force in her career.
“You’re not going to see her making three or four movies a year just because she can,” the source continued, adding that the pop star “wants every film she agrees to make to be special and singular, and that can mean saying ‘no’ to a lot of pretty tempting offers.”
The source also claimed that Grande is mindful of “overexposure,” but said her years in the spotlight have taught her when to “put her head down, duck out of sight and focus on the work.”
“This gives her a key advantage over other stars in her age bracket,” the insider noted, adding that Grande also knows “she’s in a class by herself” and was highly motivated to earn another Oscar nomination.
Ariana Grande Reschedules 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 move to July 14. She also rescheduled two Boston performances at TD Garden, originally set for July 22 and July 24, to July 23 and July 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 receive the full experience, “delivered safely and as intended.”
“We are so sorry for these unfortunate scheduling changes,” she wrote. “This was our best and safest option as these challenges with production have come to our attention.”
“The utmost important thing to us all is safety, first and foremost, and also making sure you all see the show how it is intended to run,” she continued. “Thank you so much for your understanding, and I cannot wait to see you.”