Ariana Grande Calls 'Hairspray Live!' Role a 'Dream Come True'

The cast of Hairspray Live! is thrilled to be assuming their roles live in front of national television. But no one is as excited as Ariana Grande.

“It’s such a dream!” she tells JustJared.com. “I saw the original Hairspray on Broadway and instantly fell in love with Penny. That was my go-to part when me and my friends would sing in the car. I’ve always loved her. It’s just a dream come true!”

To prep for the role, Ariana briefly spoke with former Penny Pingleton, Kerry Butler, and gushed over the film version’s Amanda Bynes; however the pop star says she plans to do her best to make the part her own.

“I feel like I’m going to sit in the nice medium world and put my own little thing on it and draw inspiration from everywhere and just let Penny come out as she comes out,” she admits. “I’m going to try to just feel the right feelings and whatever happens happens.”

Ariana says she loves Penny because she’s always been attracted to “quirkier nerdier characters.”

“The thing that is so beautiful about Penny is that she’s a little bit ahead of her time. Her mom is a nightmare. And she has this beautiful brain, this beautiful, loving, embracing brain. I just love everything about her!” she says.

Though her costars have hailed her as a pop goddess, Ariana admits that she, herself is fairy dorky. “I’d like to think that I’m a little cooler than Penny but realistically I’m not,” she reveals, with a giggle.

Hairspray Live! airs on Wednesday, December 7 @ 8PM ET/PT on NBC.

�” Reporting by Nicole Pajer