Elizabeth Gillies: Life, Career, and Friendship with Ariana Grande

Anyone who grew up watching Nickelodeon in the early 2010s remembers the sharp, sarcastic voice of Jade West, but the actress behind that character, Elizabeth Gillies, has built a career far beyond the iconic sitcom while keeping her personal life private. Here’s what’s actually known about her journey from Victorious to Broadway, her friendship with Ariana Grande, and the decisions that have shaped her private life.

Born: July 26, 1993 ·
Occupation: Actress, singer ·
Known for: Role as Jade West on Victorious ·
Spouse: Michael Corcoran (m. 2020)

Key facts about Elizabeth Gillies at a glance.

What happened to Elizabeth Gillies?

After Victorious ended in 2013, many fans wondered what became of the actress who played the show’s most intimidating character. The answer is not that she disappeared, but that she shifted focus from children’s television to more adult roles in a deliberate, patient career move.

Elizabeth Gillies’ role in Victorious

Gillies was just 17 when she began playing Jade West on Victorious, a series that ran for four seasons from 2010 to 2013 (Wikipedia biography). The character, a theatre kid with a dark edge and a volatile temper, became a fan favorite for her deadpan one-liners and rivalry with Tori Vega. During the show’s run, Gillies performed several musical numbers, including Give It Up with Ariana Grande and Take a Hint with Victoria Justice (All American Speakers biography).

Post-Victorious projects

Following Victorious, Gillies took on a string of roles that showcased her range. She voiced Daphne in the Italian animated series Winx Club from 2011 to 2014 (Wikipedia biography), then transitioned to adult comedy with a starring role as Gigi Rock in FX’s Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (All American Speakers biography). Her most high-profile television role to date came when she was cast as Fallon Carrington in the CW’s Dynasty reboot, which ran from 2017 to 2022 across 108 episodes (IMDb profile).

Recent activities and social media presence

In 2025, Gillies made a significant pivot back to her theatrical roots. She began starring as Audrey in the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre in February 2025 (Playbill article). The production reunited her with Graham Phillips, a co-star from her 2008 Broadway debut in 13. Her Instagram presence remains active but carefully curated; she does not post frequently about her personal life, preferring to share career updates and occasional behind-the-scenes content.

I was a super fan of Little Shop of Horrors. — Elizabeth Gillies (via Playbill)

The implication is clear: Gillies has made a deliberate choice to prioritize stage work and selective television roles over the kind of tabloid career that many of her Victorious cohort pursued. She is not absent from the industry, but operating on her own terms.

Is Ariana Grande still friends with Elizabeth Gillies?

The speculation around this question has persisted for years, largely because of one notable absence: Gillies was not seen at Ariana Grande’s wedding in 2021. The rumor mill, as is often the case with celebrity friendships, assumed a falling out. The available evidence suggests otherwise.

The Victorious friendship

Gillies and Grande met as teenagers on the set of Victorious and have remained close ever since, by all available accounts. In interviews, Grande has called Gillies one of her best friends (Wikipedia biography). The two also performed together on the show’s soundtrack, including the duet Give It Up. Their public friendship dates back to 2010 and has never been marked by any known falling out.

Elizabeth is one of my best friends. — Ariana Grande (via Wikipedia)

Elizabeth Gillies’ absence from Ariana Grande’s wedding

Grande married Dalton Gomez in May 2021 in a small, private ceremony. Gillies was not among the handful of guests reported to be in attendance. The exact reason has not been confirmed by either party. Some fans have speculated about a scheduling conflict or a deliberate choice to keep the guest list extremely intimate — and indeed, Grande’s wedding was notably small, with fewer than 20 guests reported by some outlets (Wikipedia biography). The uncertainty around the specific reason remains, but no public evidence suggests any rift.

Did Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies ever kiss on screen?

Yes. In a Victorious episode titled “The Breakfast Bunch,” Gillies and Grande shared an on-screen kiss as part of a parody of The Breakfast Club. The scene is frequently cited by fans as one of the show’s most memorable moments and has been the subject of much social media commentary.

The pattern suggests that their friendship continues quietly, without public display.

Does Elizabeth Gillies have a child?

As of 2025, there is no public record of Elizabeth Gillies having children. This is a straightforward point in her biography, but it has been the subject of persistent speculation from fans.

Elizabeth Gillies’ marriage to Michael Corcoran

Gillies married Michael Corcoran on August 8, 2020, according to IMDb profile. Corcoran is a music producer and composer. The couple dated for several years before marrying, and their wedding was a small, private affair — much like Grande’s. Gillies has not spoken extensively about her marriage in public interviews.

Plans for children

Gillies has not publicly stated any plans or timeline for having children. Her focus in 2025 has been on her stage career with Little Shop of Horrors and her work as an executive producer on the film Spread. The absence of an announcement is not evidence of a decision one way or the other; it simply reflects her preference for keeping her personal life private.

The implication is that Gillies continues to prioritize privacy over publicity in her family life.

Is Elizabeth Gillies nice in real life?

The character of Jade West was deliberately written to be abrasive and antagonistic. The question of whether Gillies herself is anything like that has been a recurring one among fans since the show aired.

Public persona and interviews

In interviews, Gillies comes across as warm, articulate, and self-aware. She is known for being gracious with fans and for her sense of humor. In a Playbill article from 2025, she described herself as having been “a super fan” of Little Shop of Horrors before landing the role of Audrey, a detail that reflects her genuine enthusiasm for theater.

Co-star testimonials

Multiple co-stars from Victorious and Dynasty have described Gillies as professional and friendly on set. Her long working relationship with Seth MacFarlane, which includes a Christmas album released in 2023 called We Wish You the Merriest (Wikipedia biography), is another example of her ability to collaborate with established figures in the industry without drama.

Social media interactions

Gillies’ Instagram feed is relatively measured. She posts career updates, photos from her theater work, and occasional personal glimpses, but she does not engage in the kind of social media controversy that often accompanies younger actors. There are no known public feuds or disputes involving her.

The pattern — across interviews, co-stars, and social media — is consistent: Gillies is described as a grounded, private professional who separates her on-screen persona from her real life. The evidence does not suggest any major controversy.

What are Elizabeth Gillies’ most notable roles?

When looking at a career that spans nearly two decades, three roles stand out as defining her public persona: the sarcastic teen, the scheming heiress, and the stage star.

Jade West on Victorious

This is the role that made Gillies a household name among a generation of Nickelodeon viewers. Jade West was a theatre student with a sharp tongue, a love of dark clothing, and a complicated relationship with her peers — a character who was both the show’s antagonist and its most compelling presence.

Falon Carrington on Dynasty

Gillies’ casting as Fallon Carrington in the CW’s Dynasty reboot was a significant step up in profile. She played the role from 2017 to 2022, a period of 108 episodes (IMDb profile).

Other TV and film appearances

Beyond those two major roles, Gillies has built a robust career as a voice actor: she has lent her voice to Family Guy, Robot Chicken, American Dad, and Winx Club (IMDb profile). In 2024, she appeared in the film Spread as both an actress and an executive producer. Her Broadway debut in 13 in 2008 and her 2025 return to the stage in Little Shop of Horrors bookend a career that has consistently returned to live performance.

For anyone wondering whether Gillies is “still acting” — the answer is yes, but with the caveat that she is now working in a different register than the one that made her famous. She has moved from children’s television to prime-time network drama to Off-Broadway theater.

Timeline signal

• 1993: Born in Haworth, New Jersey (Wikipedia biography)
• 2007: First acting roles in commercials (Broadway.com profile)
• 2008: Broadway debut in the musical 13 (Wikipedia biography)
• 2010–2013: Played Jade West on Victorious (Wikipedia biography)
• 2017–2022: Portrayed Fallon Carrington on Dynasty (All American Speakers biography)
• 2020: Married Michael Corcoran (IMDb profile)
• 2021: Did not attend Ariana Grande’s wedding (Wikipedia biography)
• 2023: Released Christmas album We Wish You the Merriest with Seth MacFarlane (Wikipedia biography)
• 2025: Starred as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway (Playbill article)

What’s unclear

Frequently asked questions