Ariana Grande puts tiny frame on full display in white gown at Focker-In-Law premiere… after her break from the spotlight sparked fan concern
Ariana Grande made a grand return to the spotlight on Wednesday at the New York premiere of Focker-In-Law, the fourth installment in the Meet the Parents franchise.
The singer and actress, 33, showed off her petite figure at the event, held at the Beacon Theatre, wearing a delicate off-white gown that featured a fitted bodice and flowing skirt.
Her appearance comes after she announced a hiatus from fame in August, following public scrutiny over her weight.
Despite rumors that she would skip the film’s press run after announcing her break at the end of her Eternal Sunshine tour, which concluded in September, Grande was back in full force at Wednesday’s premiere.
The Grammy winner even made her red carpet debut with boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, as they happily posed for photos together.
The pair originally dated from 2015 to 2016 after meeting when Alvarez worked as her backing dancer. They rekindled their romance in June, after her split from Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
Ariana Grande, 33, made a grand return to the spotlight on Wednesday at the New York premiere of Focker-In-Law
The singer and actress showed off her petite figure at the event, held at the Beacon Theatre, wearing a delicate off-white gown that featured a fitted bodice and flowing skirt
She also made her red carpet debut with boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, as they happily posed for photos together
The couple looked smitten as Grande sweetly rubbed Alvarez’s stomach before the pair later clasped hands.
The Oscar-nominated actress wore her tresses slicked back in a low ponytail and adorned her ears with diamond earrings.
She added sparkle to her look with pastel pink eyeshadow and lipgloss.
The butterfly tattoo on her arm also appeared to have been concealed with makeup, as she has done for several red carpet appearances in recent years.
Alvarez opted for a black blazer paired with a white button-up shirt, which he tucked into his blue jeans.
Grande’s co-stars Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro were also in attendance.
Grande’s appearance came after her team said she was taking a step back from the limelight this past summer.
The star left her planned West End role in Sunday In The Park with George after wrapping up her musical tour to take a hiatus from public appearances.
Grande wore her tresses slicked back in a low ponytail and adorned her ears with diamond earrings
She added sparkle to her look with pastel pink eyeshadow and lipgloss
The butterfly tattoo on her arm also appeared to have been concealed with makeup, as she has done for several red carpet appearances in recent years
Her appearance comes after she announced a hiatus from fame in August, following public scrutiny over her weight
Grande and Alvarez originally dated from 2015 to 2016 after meeting when Ricky worked as her backing dancer
The pair shared a tender look on the red carpet
They rekindled their romance in June, after her split from Wicked co-star Ethan Slater
‘Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,’ her spokesman told People in August.
The entertainer was looking forward ‘to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,’ her spokesman said.
She later clarified that her career hiatus had been ‘quietly planned a long time ago’ before insisting that the decision was not made because ‘negativity was ruining things for me’.
Grande explained on stage at one of her shows: ‘Multiple things can be true at the same time. Yes, boundaries, they need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes.’
Grande sparked fan concern after she released her Petal music video in July, where she appeared alarmingly thin with her ribcage visibly protruding through her chest.
The star addressed her weight multiple times over the years and has insisted that she’s healthy, despite the continued speculation around her shrinking frame.
She famously reprimanded fans in 2023 that the appearance they considered her ‘healthiest’ circa 2016-2018 was actually the opposite.
Elsewhere on Wednesday’s red carpet, Grande’s co-star Robert De Niro, 83, was joined by younger wife Tiffany Chen.
Elsewhere on Wednesday’s red carpet, Grande’s co-star Robert De Niro, 83, was joined by younger wife Tiffany Chen
The film’s other star Ben Stiller, 60 – who reprised his role as Gaylord ‘Greg’ Focker – was joined by glamorous wife Christine Taylor, 55
Their son Quinlin Dempsey Stiller, 21, was also present
Stiller also posed with Owen Wilson, 57, who plays Kevin Rawley in the movie
Wilson rocked a light tan suit with a blue shirt
Wilson also posed with his young co-stars Ben Lewis Doherty and Ora Abercrombie
Actress Blythe Danner, 83 – who is the mother of Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow – looked chic in a brown sweater and a matching skirt. She plays De Niro’s wife in the film
The star-studded premiere also drew Mike Myers and Jon Cryer
It marked his first appearance since the death of his former partner, model Toukie Smith, who passed away at 74.
She died in a New York City hospital on November 4 after a ‘long, courageous battle’ with multiple sclerosis, according to a statement from her and De Niro’s twins, Airyn and Julian Henry De Niro, 31.
The pair dated on and off from 1988 to 1996.
Meanwhile Stiller, 60, was joined by glamorous wife Christine Taylor, 55, at the premiere. Their son Quinlin Dempsey Stiller, 21, was also present.
Stiller also posed with Owen Wilson, 57, who plays Kevin Rawley in the movie.
Grande recently said she was ‘so honored’ to be cast in Focker-In-Law and ‘fell in love’ with the script and opportunity to work with De Niro and Stiller.
She plays the role of Olivia Jones, who is romantically involved with Henry, played by Skyler Gisondo, the son of Greg and Pam Focker (Stiller and Teri Polo).
Jones is a former FBI negotiator who’s meeting her boyfriend’s family for the first time.
While tough-to-impress patriarch Jack Byrnes (De Niro) warms up to her surprisingly quickly, her potential future father-in-law, Greg, is suspicious.
The original 2000 movie starred De Niro as the grouchy, suspicious CIA veteran Jack and Stiller as his nervous future son-in-law Gaylord ‘Greg’ Focker.
Focker In-Law will be released in theaters on November 25
Meet The Parents was a box office hit that spawned two sequels, Meet The Fockers in 2004 and then Little Fockers in 2010 (De Niro and Stiller pictured in a 2000 still)
Danner featured as Jack’s wife Dina, with Polo playing their daughter Pam, whose marriage to Greg sets off a cascade of comedic in-law mishaps.
Meet The Parents was a box office hit that spawned two sequels, Meet The Fockers in 2004 and then Little Fockers in 2010.
The second two movies prominently featured Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman as Greg’s parents Roz and Bernie Focker.
Wilson had a supporting role in the first three movies as Pam’s still besotted ex Kevin Rawley.
Focker In-Law will be released in theaters on November 25.
