Bowen Yang Raves About Wicked Costar Ariana Grande: ‘I Love Her’ (Exclusive)

Bowen Yang has nothing but compliments for his Wicked actress Ariana Grande.

The Saturday night live star, 33, told PEOPLE at the 2023 American Museum of Natural History Gala in New York on Thursday that after meeting the “Positions” singer on the set of their upcoming film, he loves “everything” about her.

“I mean, her whole demeanor. Her way of looking at the world,” Yang said, describing what he loves about Grande, 30. “She’s an incredibly empathetic, beautiful, sensitive person, and that comes through very clearly in her music.”

The comedian said that these qualities, along with several others, also mean that his friend is the ideal girlfriend and partner.

“I just think the fact that she’s hilarious is totally ridiculous. I think she’s the perfect person for anyone around,” he explained. “Regardless of capacity. So I love her.”

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Bowen Yang in New York on November 30, 2023.

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Everything you need to know about the movie ‘Wicked’ starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo

Yang also bonded with the Grammy winner over their love of theater. The couple was recently on Broadway Spamalot revival to support Grande’s boyfriend Ethan Slater and SNL alum Taran Killam.

“We weren’t comparing theater notes,” Yang joked about his time with Grande at the event. “I think we both just went and watched and appreciated the whole experience.”

“It was so nice to see a play I missed on Broadway when it came out. I was in high school, very far from New York. To be able to see it now as an adult, who appreciates theater … to have people I know in the cast, between Taran and Ethan and everything, I was very happy.”

Directed by Jon M. Chua Wicked — which is a film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical — brings together several major stars including Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan BaileyMichelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Yang and Slater, 31, who will star in a magical world near Wizard of Oz.

Ethan Slater; Ariana Grande.

Eugene Gologursky/Getty; Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Ariana Grande supports boyfriend Ethan Slater at Broadway’s opening night Spamalot

After the film’s initial production, Grande and Slater, which debuted on Broadway in the SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical and plays Boq in the film, developed an off-screen romance.

The couple’s relationship, which PEOPLE first confirmed in July, began after her split from husband Dalton Gomez and Slater’s split from wife Lilly Jay. Grande and Gomez, 28, divorced in October just weeks after filing, after two years of marriage.

Since Grande and Slater’s romance became public, the couple has tried to keep their relationship out of the spotlight and under wraps, with a source telling PEOPLE in September, “They’re just trying to manage their new relationship privately.”

First Wicked The film is set to premiere in theaters in November 2024, with the second set to be released a year later.

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Source: HIS Education