These stars had to be popular! Ever since it was announced that there was going to be a movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, celebrities have been lining up to show their interest to star in the film. We already know the cast is star-studded with Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey. But who didn’t make the cut?
During the press run of Wicked, Cynthia Erivo shaded some actresses that she auditioned with for the role of Elphaba. She praised Ariana Grande for being the Glinda to her Elphie, saying “Thank God” to The New York Times. “Thank goodness, because it was not the two ladies that I was auditioning with,” she said.
Here’s everyone who auditioned for the role of Glinda and Fiyero. Not much is known about who auditioned for Elphaba (except for Ariana Grande, but we’ll get to that later!).
In a turn of events, Ariana Grande auditioned for both Elphaba AND Glinda. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Jon Chu explained the miscommunication. “We were getting mixed messages,” he told the outlet. “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.'”
The Mean Girls actress revealed in an appearance on Watch What Happens Live! that she auditioned for Glinda. Though she didn’t get the part, she’s rooting for Ariana. “Ariana’s gonna be… can I cuss? She’s going to be f–king amazing,” she said. “I’m so excited.
Amanda Seyfried revealed that she auditioned for the role of Glinda. “I have dreams that I’m still auditioning for Wicked,” she told Backstage. Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [on The Dropout, on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of “Wicked”—because I wanted it that much that I was like, “You know what? Yeah, I have to play the last scene of The Dropout on Tuesday. I’ll give my Sunday to you.” I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life. But I think it also taught me how far I’ve come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove. Because ever since Les Miz, I was like, I need to be better. I need to do better. So whatever comes next in terms of musicals, I’m finally prepared.
When she was nominated for her performance as Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout, a video of her singing “Popular” from the musical went viral. “I went hard for that, for sure,” she said of auditioning to play Glinda to People. “And it was a very long process. And everything happens the way it’s meant to.”
She praised Ariana’s performance, “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,” the Emmy winner added.
Mean Girls‘ Taylor Loudermann revealed that she auditioned for Glinda after reposting Deadline’s announcement that Ariana Grande was cast “yyyy did I even audition or think I had a chance?!” she wrote.
“This business…you can’t care too much about any role you’re auditioning for (or you could get hurt & won’t come back) but you have to care enough to give it your all,” she continued. “I cared too much this time.”
Dove Cameron revealed that she auditioned for Glinda. “I know that for everybody who did go out for it, it was a very long process,” Cameron told The Wrap. “It was one of the longer processes I’ve been a part of.”
Dove Cameron starred with the OG Glinda Kristen Chenoweth in Descendents and Schmigadoon! and the actress usually refers to herself as Dove’s “musical mom.” Though the similarities have been uncanny, Dove is really excited for Ariana to star in the Wicked movie.
The same Page Six source revealed that Shawn Mendes was in mind to play Fiyero.
When Stephen Daldry was set to direct the movie, Lady Gaga was reportedly in the running to play Glinda. “They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be. [Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,” a source told Page Six.
Spencer Sutherland revealed that he auditioned for the role of Fiyero when he was on The Zach Sang Show. “I got a callback for Wicked… I thought it was a great audition,” the singer confessed. “I thought.. when I got a double callback, it was like, ‘Oh, sh-t, this is real. How many people do they have left?’ Probably 20, but still not bad. I don’t know the number.”
Ryan McCartan, who played Fiyero on Broadway, revealed he auditioned for the movie adaptation. “Jon [M Chu], you didn’t cast me in the movie, even though I worked so hard. That’s fine, no hard feelings,” Ryan said. “Confirmed I did audition… One of the many, many things I haven’t booked.”
Both of the youngest Jonas Brothers auditioned for the role of Fiyero and got in some fierce competition together.
“We always say we want someone with the last name Jonas to win. That’s our goal,” Nick said on the Armchair With Dax Shepherd podcast. “We both auditioned for the same role, Joe and I. It was for Wicked, actually.”
“And we were going into it… and naturally, we’re brothers, we’re competitive in sports and other things, but when it comes to our career, I think we genuinely both looked at each other like…”
