Highly anticipated movie Wicked is set to be released this week as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo take on the lead roles in the Hollywood adaptation of the Broadway play
Wicked could have looked very different as its stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo weren’t always the top choice.
The highly anticipated movie is set to be released on Friday as pop star Ariana plays Glinda and Cynthia takes on Elphaba. Wicked is a Hollywood version of the popular stage musical of the same name, which in turn is an adaptation of the novel published in 1995, written by Gregory Maguire.
It is a reimagining of characters and setting of the classic Wizard of Oz but told from the perspective of two witches before Dorothy’s arrival in the mystical land. The movie could have been very different as it was set to be directed by Stephen Daldry before Jon M. Chu took on the job, according to reports.
Daldry reportedly had a very different cast in mind for the film. He would have featured Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero, reports Page Six. It has been claimed the director met with Lady Gaga multiple times to talk about the role and that she was “essentially cast in his version” before it fell through.
The singer instead turned her focus on Todd Philipps’ Joker sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. Actress Cynthia, who landed the role of Elphaba, recently revealed the extent of work that went into her transformation for the role. She admitted it could take up to four hours to cover her in paint as she confirmed that no CGI was used in the making of the highly-anticipated movie.
“When you put the costume on, when you put the shoes on and we’re supported by all these artists, it just takes it to the next level,” she revealed on a new NBC programme titled Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked. “Something happens when all of that green in on. The freckles go on, the hair goes on, the make-up goes on, the eyes go on and it’s not me I’m looking at, it’s her.”
Cynthia first gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017 for which she won numerous accolades including the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. After her incredible career on stage, she turned her attention to films and starred in movies including Widows, Bad Times at the El Royale and as The Blue Fairy in Pinocchio.
Wicked is studded with other stars including Oscar laureate Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Bridgerton heartthrob Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, and Jeff Goldblum taking on the mantle of the Wizard of Oz. The long awaited film previously experienced production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the SAG-AFTRA strike. Wicked was first green lit by Universal Studios in 2012, so it’s been a long road to release for filmmakers.
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