Ariana Grande stepped away from public appearances for months following heavy scrutiny over her physical appearance, returning Sunday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller.
- Grande joined Jimmy Fallon, Robert De Niro, and Ben Stiller on Sunday night for her first public appearance in months.
- The appearance follows an announced step back from the spotlight due to relentless public scrutiny regarding her physical appearance.
- The group promoted their work together while participating in holiday sketches and comedy segments on the late-night program.
Grande, De Niro, and Stiller made a Christmassy interruption to Jimmy Fallon’s monologue on Sunday night. “The holidays are coming. The spirit’s here. It kinda makes me wanna sing,” Fallon said before Grande launched into a rendition of “O Christmas Tree.” The performance ended with De Niro lip-synching along to a melodramatic opera voice.
Ariana Grande in jimmy fallon ♡ pic.twitter.com/yRnDG2zCe4
The trio later joined Fallon for a round of the “True Confessions” game. Grande told a made-up story about falling into a fish tank at an aquarium as a child, successfully convincing Fallon, De Niro, and Stiller that the fabrication was true.
During the sit-down interview, the four discussed a pre-taped soap opera sketch titled My Family’s Money. The footage featured the cast in over-the-top costumes delivering lines while executing slow claps instructed by an obsessed director.
On a more genuine note, Grande, De Niro, and Stiller discussed their first times meeting each other. Each shared their mutual admiration before they began working together on screen.
In August, Grande’s representatives released a statement detailing her plans to step back from public visibility. “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” the statement read.
🚨 MEU DEUS! Ariana Grande no Jimmy Fallon. pic.twitter.com/lYgcuM12Je
The representatives added that she looked forward to finishing the tour on a high note both healthily and happily. The planned break aimed to address the endless, ongoing public scrutiny that followed the release of her “Petal” music video, which ignited intense discourse surrounding her physical appearance and apparent weight loss.
| Event / Project | Context / Status |
|---|---|
| Eternal Sunshine Tour | Completed prior to her announced step back from public-facing work and appearances. |
| Petal Music Video | Triggered intense public discourse regarding her physical appearance and weight. |
| Sunday in the Park With George | Canceled after Grande dropped out of the West End production. |
| The Tonight Show Appearance | Marked her first public return in months alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller. |
The intense online discourse also led to Grande dropping out of a previously scheduled production of Sunday in the Park With George on London’s West End, which was ultimately canceled.
