“Meet the Parents”: Ariana Grande with Robert De Niro in the sequel to the hit movie

Los Angeles. Pop singer Ariana Grande ("Eternal Sunshine") is continuing to expand her acting career. The 31-year-old has confirmed a role alongside Robert De Niro (81) and Ben Stiller (59) in the planned sequel to the hit comedy "Meet the Parents." Grande wrote in an Instagram story that she was "very excited" to meet the family in response to reports about the film project. Her role has not been officially announced. The plot for the sequel is still under wraps.

In the original comedy "Meet the Parents" (2000), Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) met the parents of his fiancée, Pam (Teri Polo). Unfortunately, her father, Jack (Robert de Niro), can't stand his future son-in-law. This was followed by "Meet the Parents" (2004) and "Meet the Kids" (2010), with many turbulent twists and turns.

John Hamburg is on board to direct the as-yet-untitled sequel. He co-wrote the previous three hit comedies as a screenwriter. The film is scheduled for release in November 2026.

Grande appeared on stage as a teenager in the musical "13." This was followed by the TV series "Victorious" and "Sam & Cat" on the children's channel Nickelodeon. She also played a supporting role in the TV series "Scream Queens" and in the 2021 feature film "Don't Look Up." For her role as the good witch Glinda in "Wicked" (2025), the film adaptation of the musical "Wicked: The Witches of Oz," Grande was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress this year.

RND/dpa