Wicked auditions: Who tried out for the film before Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast?
Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo may now be etched into fans' minds as Glinda and Elphaba, but they weren't the only names in the running. The film adaptation of Wicked has been years in the making, and before director Jon M. Chu locked in his final cast, a long list of celebrities - from pop singers to seasoned stage stars - gave it a shot. According to a report by People, the road to Oz saw some surprising names auditioning for roles but they didn't make the cut. Even Ariana Grande herself once considered Elphaba instead of Glinda.
While filming The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried made time on weekends to audition for Glinda. 'I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life,' she told Backstage in 2022.
The Descendants star revealed in multiple interviews that she had long dreamt of playing Glinda.
Renée Rapp, who stars in Mean Girls, auditioned for Glinda but had no hard feelings. 'Ariana's gonna be f------ amazing,' she said during Watch What Happens Live! in 2022.
The Penguin actress, who also has a Grammy for Once, attempted Elphaba's iconic high note-but admitted on The Tonight Show in 2024 that she missed it during the audition.
The Color Purple actor said in a 2024 YouTube video that Elphaba's story mirrored her own experiences growing up. She praised Erivo, calling her casting 'stellar.'
Nick Jonas revealed on the Armchair Expert podcast that he auditioned for Fiyero-alongside his brother Joe. 'We both auditioned for the same role,' he said.
Joe Jonas also confirmed he was in the running for Fiyero, supporting his brother during the process. 'It has to be one of us,' he remembered saying.
A former Broadway Fiyero, McCartan said on his podcast The Stage Door in 2024, 'Jon M. Chu, you didn't cast me… but no hard feelings.'
Sutherland got a 'double callback' for Fiyero and admitted on the Zach Sang Show in 2023 that he didn't expect to go that far.
While she now stars as Glinda, Grande originally auditioned for Elphaba too. But it was her role as Glinda that won over the director.
Erivo, who ultimately landed Elphaba, didn't need to fight hard once she auditioned-director Jon M. Chu said there was 'no denying it' when she walked in.
While not part of the audition chaos, Bailey ultimately won the role of Fiyero, beating out several singers and actors who had vied for the part.
Amanda Seyfried, Dove Cameron, and Renée Rapp all auditioned for Glinda but were not cast.
No, Taylor Swift did not audition for the Wicked movie.
Yes, Ariana Grande auditioned for both Glinda and Elphaba before landing the role of Glinda.
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