Latest news with #Backstage
Mint
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
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.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Amanda Seyfried recounts her six auditions for Wicked, says 'I barely had time, but I made it work'
Amanda Seyfried has once again spoken up about one of the hardest auditioning experiences she's been through, for a role she ultimately didn't get. Specifically, she spoke about the six unsuccessful auditions she did for the role of Glinda in 2024's Wicked. While she's recounted her audition experiences in the past, such as on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused, she most recently brought them up during her appearance on Backstage's In the Envelope podcast. The episode where she discussed this aired on June 19. Even though she couldn't star in Wicked as she'd hoped, Amanda Seyfried has nonetheless had a prolific acting career. From her role as Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia and its sequel, to her acclaimed portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout, she has cemented her place as an actress to be reckoned with. Amanda Seyfried auditioned for 2024's Wicked six times Amanda Seyfried has a history of auditioning aggressively for her dream roles. She once did so six times for 2012's Les Miserables, and she matched that record when trying out for the role of Glinda in 2024's Wicked. The 2024 Wicked film is an adaptation of a stage musical that first ran on Broadway in 2003. The stage musical itself is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West authored by Gregory Maguire. The characters of the novel, musical and film originate from L. Frank Baum's classic children's book The Wizard of Oz, which was first published in 1900 and is now in the public domain. Amanda Seyfried auditioned for the role of Galinda Upland, a well-to-do and popular young woman who becomes the envy of the ostracized Elphaba. While Elphaba goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the West, Galinda in turn becomes Glinda the Good. In the 2024 film, Glinda's role went to Ariana Grande. Amanda admitted to pushing herself and being very competitive Speaking to the In the Envelope podcast, Amanda said that she really put her all into auditioning for Wicked despite her busy schedule, saying: 'I was busy. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work. I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music." She admitted to having a competitive streak but believed that it was a healthy sort of competition she had with herself. Even though she didn't get the part, Amanda did earn the opportunity to sing with Cynthia Erivo, who plays the Wicked Witch, during her auditions. As she said to Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused, that was a worthy moment in and of itself, and she has no regrets about not getting the role.
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Oscar-nominated actress reveals she was cruelly rejected by Wicked after 6 audit
A Hollywood star has spoken about working her 'ass off for years and years' auditioning for Wicked but failing to be cast. In 2012 it was announced that the stage musical would be adapted for screen, however it wasn't until 2021 when Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were cast as Elphaba and Glinda. However, in recent years Amanda Seyfried, who had previously starred in the movie musicals Les Misérables and the Mamma Mia! franchise, revealed she was desperate to be cast in Wicked too. The 39-year-old, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in 2020's Mank, had previously said she had dreamed of playing Glinda since she was a child. This week she went on to detail the intense schedule she put herself through in her efforts to secure the role. 'I'm in that privileged spot where I just don't have to [audition],' she said on the latest episode of the Backstage's In the Envelope podcast. 'But I like, of course, I talked about this a lot. I auditioned like six times for Wicked.' She went on: 'Because that had to be really just right. And I like, I loved it. 'I was busy. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work. I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music.' 'I'm just competitive with myself in a really healthy way.' Earlier this year Amanda also spoke on the Happy Sad Confused podcast about singing with Cynthia, 38, while trying out for Glinda. 'I was able to really prepare, and I'm telling you, I've never felt that solid in my voice than I did at the auditions. And that's kind of what I got out of it,' she told host Josh Horowitz. 'I do, again, think everything happens for a reason. 'I also got to sing with Cynthia, and that was a moment in itself.' She had also once said she 'bent over backwards' to audition for the franchise, also working with a vocal coach and acting coach. However, in November last year, Cynthia appeared to throw shade on Amanda when praising Ariana. Speaking to The New York Times, Cynthia said it was 'no surprise whatsoever' to her when she learned Ariana had secured the role of Glinda. 'Thank goodness, because it was not the two ladies that I was auditioning with.' Renee Rapp and Dove Cameron had also been in the running to play Glinda. More Trending For their starring roles in Wicked, Cynthia and Ariana, 32, were nominated for best actress and best supporting actress at the Oscars. Its sequel Wicked: For Good out in November this year. Despite missing out on the role, Amanda later called the Wicked movie 'fantastic'. 'It's an extravaganza, which is what she [Grande] does really well. And [my kids] have been playing the soundtrack nonstop. And everything is as it's meant to be for sure,' she said. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Orlando Bloom hints at relationship status with Katy Perry in Instagram post MORE: Denis Villeneuve dares to step into 'sacred territory' as new James Bond director MORE: Daisy Edgar-Jones to star in remake of classic Jane Austen period drama
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Amanda Seyfried reflects on her challenging Wicked audition experience
Amanda Seyfried has once again opened up about her intense audition process for Wicked, confirming that she auditioned six times for the role of Glinda and describing the experience as both grueling and transformative. Speaking on the June 19 episode of Backstage's In the Envelope podcast, the Oscar-nominated actress revealed that the auditions took place in 2021 while she was filming Hulu's The Dropout, a demanding schedule she nonetheless tried to navigate in pursuit of the part. 'I auditioned like six times for Wicked. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work,' she said. 'I worked my ass off for years and years on that music.' Seyfried shared that she trained with a vocal coach, attended weekend auditions, and recorded performances including the number 'Popular' which she submitted to director Jon M. Chu. She also previously recalled, during a Happy Sad Confused podcast appearance earlier this year, singing with Cynthia Erivo during one of the final stages of the process. 'That was a moment,' Seyfried said. 'Even though I didn't get the role, I felt the strongest I ever have vocally.' Despite not being cast, the Mamma Mia! star emphasized that the process was creatively rewarding. 'I didn't get the part, but I came out a better singer,' she told Backstage. 'It gave me the confidence I needed.' Ultimately, the coveted role of Glinda went to pop star and Broadway alum Ariana Grande, who also auditioned five times. Cynthia Erivo was cast as Elphaba. Both actresses were officially announced in late 2021. .
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
New to The Street Signs Backstage ($ BKS) to 12-Part Media Series Covering Music, Sports, and Tokenized Real-World Assets in Entertainment
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / June 17, 2025 / New to The Street, a leading multi-platform media brand for business and financial television, proudly announces the signing of Backstage (NASDAQ:BKS) to an exclusive 12-part national media series. This powerful media rollout will include monthly long-form interviews, earned media coverage, national television commercials, and Times Square outdoor billboards, reaching over 220 million homes weekly through New to The Street's distribution across Bloomberg, Fox Business as sponsored programming, and its fast-growing 2.7M+ subscriber YouTube channel. Backstage will be featured across all New to The Street platforms as an "Opportunity To Consider™", with full editorial support and visibility as the company pioneers real-world utility and mainstream adoption of tokenized entertainment through $BKS. With partnerships already underway across music, sports, and live events, Backstage is rapidly building one of the most comprehensive ecosystems in Entertainment 3.0, positioning itself as a global innovator in tokenized real-world assets (RWA) in the entertainment sector. The campaign begins this month, with first filming in June, followed by a series of national T.V. broadcasts and NYC-based investor and industry events. About Backstage (NASDAQ:BKS):Backstage is an Entertainment 3.0 platform built for fans, artists, and event organizers. It enables users to book tickets, hotels, and flights while earning and spending $BKS tokens. Focused on real-world utility and mainstream adoption, Backstage is shaping the future of live experiences-where fans don't just follow the crowd, they drive it. For the first time, artists and event organizers can capture value from the parallel economy their events generate-hotels, travel, local spending, and digital engagement-transforming previously untapped influence into new revenue streams. About New to The Street:New to The Street is a premier financial media platform combining sponsored television programming, earned media coverage, and iconic outdoor advertising. With content distributed on Bloomberg, Fox Business, and YouTube, the platform helps public and private companies reach investors, media, and consumers with unmatched scale and credibility. Media Contact: Alessio Pirasap@ Monica Brennanmonica@ SOURCE: New To The Street
