Ariana Grande’s music video to “thank u, next,” pays tribute to some of the 2000s’ most popular teen flicks with female leads, particularly “Mean Girls”, “Legally Blonde”, “Bring It On” and “13 Going on 30”.
Ariana Grande as Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde.” Image: Screengrab via YouTube/Ariana Grande
The movies’ stars have since reached out to the pop singer after the video dropped at 12 noon on Friday, Nov. 30 (Dec. 1, Manila time).
Reese Witherspoon, who immortalized Harvard-educated perky blonde Elle Woods in 2001’s “Legally Blonde”, tweeted on Dec. 1 screenshots of her in the role beside a picture of Grande in the video.
Thank u, next 👏🏼💖 @ArianaGrande #ElleWoodsForever pic.twitter.com/A1jvyNQo0f
— Reese Witherspoon (@RWitherspoon) November 30, 2018
In another tweet on the same day, she referenced the iconic pick-up move from the film: “Can we please talk about @ArianaGrande’s Bend and Snap?! 10/10 nailed it!”
Grande explained that they had tried to make an alternative version to avoid any copyright infringement. “Omg we tried to put our own twist on it so legal wouldn’t come for us but THANK U. This is the biggest honor. love u more than words.”
omg we tried to put our own twist on it so legal wouldn’t come for us but THANK U. this is the biggest honor. love u more than words. 🖤 https://t.co/BKHjCgS9jk
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 30, 2018
Jennifer Garner, whose 2004 film “13 Going on 30” was also given a shoutout, was all praises too for Grande’s portrayal of Jenna Rink.
She shared a clip of the video’s homage to the movie on Instagram yesterday and wrote, “Every now and then something comes along and just brightens your day. @arianagrande you’re adorable. Thank you, pretty girl.”
“I watched this movie every night before bed growing (and I still do sometimes, especially when I’m sad),” Grande replied. “I adore you! Thank you for all the inspiration and you’ve brought to my life I’m screaming bye.”
“Now I’m screaming!” Garner responded.
“@markruffalo (Mark Ruffalo) and @missjudygreer (Judy Greer) and I will ‘Thriller’ with you any day of the week and twice on Sundays,” she said, referring to a party scene in the film where she and Ruffalo dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Ruffalo played Garner’s love interest Matt while Greer was her best friend Lucy in the movie.
In what might just make an even more record-breaking video, she proposed, “We’ll even ask @reesewitherspoon (Reese Witherspoon) to bring her bend and snap!”
Image: Screengrab via Instagram/@jennifer.garner
Ruffalo, too, was thrilled as he made a reference to a candy his character and Garner shared in the movie. “Having some Razzles (it’s a candy AND a gum) in your honor, @ArianaGrande!”
Having some Razzles (it’s a candy AND a gum) in your honor, @ArianaGrande! #thankunext https://t.co/5QA1pNtbiO
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) November 30, 2018
Gabrielle Union, who starred in the 2000 cheerleading film “Bring It On” hoped to reprise her role should there be another video. “Currently stretching in case of a remix,” she said.
Currently stretching in case of a remix https://t.co/pAAO0PxcEl
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) December 1, 2018
Some of the movies’ actors were incorporated into the video, such as Jennifer Coolidge from “Legally Blonde” and Jonathan Bennett and Stefanie Drummond from “Mean Girls”.
The music video broke YouTube’s record for most views in the first 24 hours of release, raking in 50.3 million views by noontime on Saturday, Dec. 1. JB
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