Wickeddirector Jon M. Chu revealed that due to some miscommunication, Ariana Grande originally auditioned for the role of Elphaba, rather than Glinda. Of course, Grande ended up playing Glinda in the upcomingWickedmovie, and Cynthia Erivo was eventually cast as Elphaba, who will later become known as The Wicked Witch of the West. In addition to Grande and Erivo, thecast ofWickedincludes Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.
Ahead ofWicked’srelease, Chu tellsEntertainment Weeklythat he was always under the impression that Grande was auditioning for the role of Glinda. However,Grande actually prepared to audition for Elphabaand sang her songs during the process. While Chu never thought Grande was a good option for Elphaba, he believed she was perfect for Glinda. Read Chu’s full comments below:
We were getting mixed messages. I was like, ‘Of course she’s coming in for Galinda.’ And then my casting director was like, ‘No, I think she thinks she’s coming in for Elphaba.’ I’m like, ‘That was not the plan.’ And they’re like, ‘Well, she prepped it.’ She was being nice to me, and I was being nice to her. We just let her do it. But in my mind I was like, ‘Why is she singing Elphaba right now?’ Maybe because she’s sung those in the past, but to me, she was always a Glinda. We didn’t know each other well enough to be like, ‘Alright, let’s clear up the telephone game here. We are here for Glinda. Right?’
How Grande Playing Elphaba Would Change The Wicked Movie
Elphaba & Glinda Are Very Different Characters
WhileElphaba and Glindaform an unlikely friendship inWickedafter being forced to be roommates at Shiz University, they are very different characters. When Elphaba arrives at Shiz University, she is immediately picked on due to her green skin. On the other hand, Glinda is the most popular person at the school. InWicked’sstory,Elphaba leads the revolt against the Wizard of Oz, whereas Glinda struggles with the idea of a revolution much moresince she has always benefited from Oz’s current system.
In Wicked, Glinda often has a very cheerful presence, which fits Grande’s public persona perfectly.
Therefore, Elphaba and Glinda have drastically different personalities, andGrande would have had to approach her role inWickedmuch differently if she was playing Elphaba. InWicked, Glinda often has a very cheerful presence, which fits Grande’s public persona perfectly. In comparison, Elphaba can be quite feisty and short-tempered at times. While Elphaba is just standing up for what she believes in, these traits can rub other characters the wrong way.
Our Take On Grande Auditioning For The Role Of Elphaba In Wicked
Grande Landed The Right Role
Chu’s story about Grande auditioning for the role of Elphaba is very funny in retrospect. Based on the qualities of both Elpahaba and Glinda, it is clear that Grande is more suited to playing the latter. In the lead up to therelease ofWicked,it has also been clear that Grande is so passionate about Glinda as a character. It is evident she put so much effort into faithfully portraying Glinda, so it is great that she ended up with the right role inWicked.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
