Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies Are Too Cute in These Throwback Photos From “13: The Musical”

Netflix released their movie adaptation of “13: The Musical” on Aug. 12, and the film — about a group of middle schoolers who struggle with love, friendship, and bar mitzvahs — is full of songs that will be stuck in our heads for weeks. It’s also sending us down memory lane to the original Broadway production of “13 the Musical.” The show broke barriers at the time, since it was the first (and so far only) to feature a cast and band that was made of just teens. But it’s also memorable for another reason — Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies were both in the original cast! In 2008, both joined the show during its pre-Broadway run, and they made the transfer to the Great White Way. Gillies played Lucy, while Grande played Charlotte.

A year later, both actors were cast in Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” alongside Victoria Justice. The pair have remained friends since they first met back as teens. Gillies even appeared alongside Grande in the 2018 video for “Thank U, Next.”

Neither actor has returned to Broadway since “13,” though Grande is preparing to portray Glinda in the film version of “Wicked.” Gillies, meanwhile, has continued to work on TV and stars on “Dynasty.” She even directed two episodes.

Eli Golden, who stars in Netflix’s film, told POPSUGAR that Gillies and fellow original cast member Graham Phillips both reached out to the movie’s young cast about starring in the film. On Aug. 12, Gillies also bantered with fans about her time in the musical on Twitter.

Read on to see photos of Grande and Gillies during their run of “13 the Musical” and watch a throwback clip of them recording the cast album.

Getty | Joe Corrigan

Ariana Grande in “13 the Musical”

Getty | Joe Corrigan

Elizabeth Gillies in “13 the Musical”