Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wicked.One of the biggest films of 2024, much of the success ofWickedis due to its leading women, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda. The movie musical is about the unlikely friendship between the two witches, as well as what leads Elphaba to become the Wicked Witch of the West, forsaking the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) in the process. Both actresses deliver stunning performances in thejaw-dropping musical adaptation ofWicked, and their roles are utterly their own.
However, Grande auditioned for a different character before becoming Glinda, a role that best suited the pop star turnedShiz Universityalum. While she has the acting and singing chops to pull off a version of anycharacter in theWickedcast,Glinda was the perfect role for Grande on several levels. Her Glinda compliments Erivo’s Elphaba, making it hard to imagine either one not in these respective roles.
Grande Auditioning for Elphaba Was Due to Miscommunication
WhileGrande auditioned for the role of Elphaba, director John M. Chu always saw her as Glinda. Even then, it would have been natural to first associate Grande with the future Good Witch when she covered parts of Glinda’s signature song in her own pop track “Popular,” and publicly declared she wanted to play Glinda years ago (viaEntertainment Weekly). Chu was even under the impression Grande would come in to audition for the role of Glinda; however, according to an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Grande initially tried out for Elphaba.
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For Chu, there was no question about Grande going out for the role of Glinda,but due to communication issues, she was under the impression she was auditioning for Elphaba, even preparing songs for the Wicked Witch of the West. Thankfully, Chu and Grande finally got on the same page, as reported inEntertainment Weekly:
“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 Ariana Grande’s Elphaba Would’ve Been Different Than Cynthia Erivo’s
Grande’s Strengths As Glinda Don’t Work For Elphaba
While it will never be known what Grande’s Elphaba would have been like as it never made it to the big screen, one can imagine the differences based on her performance as Glinda, as well as Erivo’s performance as Elphaba.Looking first at Grande’s performance as Glinda, one of her biggest strengths is her comedic delivery and physicalityin thenear-perfectly ratedWickedmovie.
Should Dorothy have a bigger role in Wicked: Part 2 compared to the Broadway musical?
The Wizard of Oz’ Dorothy Gale is referenced and featured in the second act of Broadway’s Wicked, though only as a silhouette. Conversely, I think I’d like to see more of Dorothy in Wicked: Part Two, as I think it could really help flesh out the story and dynamics of what her arrival to Oz led to considering the end of Elphaba’s story.
While Elphaba has some funny moments, those are much more understated and fewer compared to Glinda’s constant quips. If the casting had been different, either Elphaba would have been made into a more comedic character to suit Grande’s skill set — something that Elphaba is not known for — or Grande would need to dial back. This would have been a waste of Grande’s talents, as she always succeeds in going big and going funny.
Another hypothetical change concerns how the songs would have been delivered. While Grande has an incredible range, as seen from her imitations of other musicians onSaturday Night Live, her rendition of Elphaba would be her own, not a recreation of a prior performance on Broadway. Additionally, as also seen inWicked Part 1, Grande’s vocals are drastically different from Erivo’s.Grande certainly has the ability to hit Elphaba’s infamous notes,but it would not be the same as when Erivo’s belting-suited voice.
Wicked Was Better Off With Ariana Grande As Glinda
Grande’s Glinda Is Perfect, & Her Chemistry With Erivo Is Even Better
Ariana Grande’s Glindais perfect, from the singing to the comedic timing and everything in between, andGlinda is a difficult character to portray. She’s delusional, self-centered, and bubbly to an extreme. It’s understandable why she initially grates on Elphaba’s nerves. It’s a challenge to make a character like this someone audiences can root for, or at the very least enjoy watching. Grande achieves just that by making her Glinda hilarious yet empathetic.
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Furthermore, Grande has won two Grammys and received 18 nominations total. She is a gifted singer, making her vocal performance alone as Glinda instantly iconic. She can hit the ridiculously high notes required of everyone who has ever played Glinda, doing so while delivering a high-energy performance that leaves audiences smiling. However, most important is her chemistry with Cynthia Erivo.
Wickedhinges on this friendship and the two accoladed performers complement each other perfectly in the movie. Even in their press junkets and interviews, it’s clear Grande and Erivo work well together.Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship and how far they go together is one of the highlights of the film,and that storyline would not be the same without Erivo as Elphaba and Grande asGlinda the Good Witch.
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.
