Ariana Grande is very excited for her upcoming role in NBC's Hairspray Live!, and intends to forge her own path with her character.

Grande is stepping into the role of Tracy Turnblad's (Maddie Baillio) best friend Penny Pingleton in Hairspray Live! The role was previously played by Kerry Butler in the original Broadway show and Amanda Bynes in the 2007 movie adaptation, but Grande intends on creating her own version of Penny.

"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," Grande told JustJared this week. "I'm going to try to just feel the right feelings and whatever happens happens."

Grande has been a fan of Hairspray since it came out in 2002, and identified with the character she would eventually play.

"It's such a dream!" she said. "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!"

Penny is a modern girl living in the '60s, who falls in love with a black dancer named Seaweed (Ephraim Sykes) in a time of great racial tension in America.

"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!" Grande gushed.

Grande also admitted that she is naturally drawn to "quirkier nerdier characters," adding, "I'd like to think that I'm a little cooler than Penny but realistically I'm not."

Hairspray Live! airs Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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