"Wicked" Movie announces its Elphaba and Glinda casting! What about the other roles?
Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 11:00PM by Nathaniel R
After years of fan-casting and online speculation we finally know who will be following in Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth's footsteps in that Emerald City of stage and screen legend. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will be taking on the iconic roles of Glinda and Elphaba in the big screen adaptation of Broadway behemoth Wicked which is, if you've been sleeping under a rock, about the witches before the events of The Wizard of Oz. The news was announced tonight by the film's director Jon M Chu.
How are you feeling about this news? Well how am I feeling? Not even sure and I'll tell you why...
These roles are so ginormous and this has the potential to either be a mega blockbuster or an abysmal failure (or both!) that I feel too much anxiety to be happy or sad. But here are a few initial thoughts...
... A movie musical that understands that years after the initial phenomenon you really do have to recast (sorry Rent and Dear Evan Hansen) for basic age reasons? That's "Good News". Sure Ariana and Cynthia aren't, like, 19... but realism isn't really Wicked's thing. They're close enough to 'young adults' for this kind of fantasy.
...Jon M Chu in the director's chair continues to be very good news since In the Heights showed that he completely "gets" the movie musical.
... Cynthia Erivo has screen presence and a sensational voice so we're all good with Elphaba.
... I love Ariana's music but I do worry about this casting because even though she's totally cute and charming like Gallinda and her voice is beautiful... we don't really know if she can act. What's more she never enunciates when she sings. The latter is a huge problem since you kinda have to do just that for musicals especially when the clever quippy lyrics are baked into your character/songs and a major part of your role's "popular"ity.
... I only pray to the cinema and musical gods alike that the filmmakers take the "Cast a Movie Musical Without James Corden" challenge we issued on twitter. Because: Enough! There are hundreds of great musical actors out there and judging by his lazy work in Cats (not funny at all) and his overkill in The Prom (it's homophobic to play a mincing gay unless you are one and then its just good common sense and Pride), they should steer clear. Plus, why does every movie need the same familiar faces?
Maybe we should do a Cast This? on the other roles in the comments
Our only requirement for the producers is NO stunt casting for the sake of stunt casting or because they're being cast in everything else at the moment. In other words just cast people who could act the roles well who are great singers. You dont always need giant stars for supporting roles.
The older characters
You could go in virtually any direction with Madame Morrible. Stunt casting. Reprise casting. Middle age. Older. They just have to be funny ladies who can sing and act and plot.
MADAME MORRIBLE - The headmistress of the wizardry school Elphaba and Glinda attend. She is the first to recognize Elphaba's considerable magic gifts. She's a politically maneuvering baddie though, and no friend to the animal characters. Showcase numbers: "The Wizard and I" a duet with Elphaba and "Thank Goodness" a duet with Glinda.
THE WIZARD - The prime power player behind the curtain. There's no reason not to have Joel Grey reprise this role! But if he doesn't want to do it there are plenty of older singing actors who could slay it. Showcase numbers: "A Sentimental Man" solo and "Wonderful" a duet with Elphaba
DOCTOR DILLAMOND - A talking goat. Alas he'll probably be poorly CGI'ed. Showcase number "Something Bad" (duet with Elphaba)
The school friends of the leads
FIYERO -A hot fun prince that Glinda likes but who falls in love with Elphaba. Showcase number: "Dancing Through Life" mostly solo and "As Long As You're Mine" (duet with Elphaba). Since they cast late 20s/early 30s for Glinda and Elphaba they should do the same for him. Plenty of sexy singing men in that age range!
BOQ - He's a sweet Munchkin who is infatuated with Glinda but cursed by Nessarose to become the Tin Man (because he doesn't love her back). The musical ignores that Munchkins are little people in its casting which we've always thought was odd. Why tell us he's a Munchkin then? We suppose they'll change this for the movie either going full Munchkin (and obviously there are little people out there who can act and sing!) or changing the conception of the character.
NESSAROSE - Elphaba's beautiful physically-disabled sister. She will become the Wicked Witch of the East.
Reader Comments (22)
I think Ariana can pull it off. She's a theatre kid after all. I love Erivo, but she reads slightly old for the role to me... especially against Ariana? My dream casting recently for this is Ariana DeBose (excellent in THE PROM and will probably wow us in WEST SIDE STORY). But I guess that might also make her James "why is she in ALL the musicals?!!" Corden even though I think she'd NAIL the role.
But hey John Chu proved his musical mettle with IN THE HEIGHTS so I'm not too worried about this one honestly. Can't wait to see who they cast for the rest.
Can Nicholas Hoult or Alden Ehrenreich sing (for Fiyero)? How about Dan Rad (for Boq)? Are we for 100% certain they wouldn't stunt cast with Menzel and/or Chenoweth (see Lin Manuel and Chris Jackson in HEIGHTS). The temptation will be undeniable.
I feel like Donna Murphy could slide in well here, and as make up for Into the Woods maybe.
The casting is going to be... a lot. Just on the internet. Yikes.
I liked Chu's work on IN THE HEIGHTS, but man I want this movie to be big. not box office (although that too). But I want it to feel like a BIG production. With big proper sets and costumes and HEIGHTS wasn't the best showcase for that.
I think these are great choices. I think Ariana will be able to enunciate as I do think she chooses to melt her words by choice. I'm excited to hear her in the register that Glinda requires. And Cynthia will be phenomenal.
As for the other cast, it's more than likely Madame Morrible will be Meryl, and if not her, probably Christine Baranski. I do also think Glenn would do a wonderful job.
The Wizard doesn't require much of a sing, and I actually think Tom Hanks would bring the necessary star power.
As for Fiyero, Harry Styles would be a fun pop choice, or Anthony Ramos for a John M. Chu reunion. Can Joe Alwyn sing?
Boq - Tom Holland would be a great choice. Justice Smith even?
I kind of hope that cut the Dr. Dillamond song but someone like John Lithgow would be great.
Can Lolo Spencer sing? She'd make a great Nessa if she can
As long as they don't cast Lea Michelle, I'm cool.
You all went mad over Ben Platt so why not here? Love Erivo but she does read as much older than Ariana and playing a college kid might seem a reach for her.
Absolutely HORRIBLE casting. HORRIBLE. The only thing they've gotten right is that these women are singers (and YMMV).
Erivo was disappointing as Tubman and Aretha, in both cases all intensity and little nuance. That energy worked well in Widows, but I'm not seeing it for Wicked. And I'm skeptical (to put it mildly) about Grande's acting skills...
Depending on how old they want to go with Madame Morrible maybe Rita Moreno or even Angela Lansbury (my god she would be a slam dunk to win at this point. Be still my heart if this happens!)
For Fiyero- perhaps Chu uses Corey Hawkins or Anthony Ramos again? Or Aaron Tviet or Harry Shum Jr.?
Nessarose could be Leslie Grace- also from in the Heights, or maybe they will get a Broadway actress since it is a smaller part. Perhaps Samantha Barker?
Bette Midler for Madame Morrible.
Miranda Richardson for Madame Morrible!
Oh wow - Miranda Richardson is really good idea - but I'd love it if it was Harriet Sansom Harris.
Agreed that I'm not feeling either of these two leads. I enjoy them both but don't think their strengths will play well here.
Nessarose - if they don't cast wheelchair-using Ali Stroker for this wheelchair-using character, people will riot. Plus Stroker is a Tony winner and has megawatt charisma.
Dillamond is a great role for someone like Martin Short or Kevin Kline. Kline can dust off his Bottom-as-donkey act he did so well in Midsummer Night's Dream here.
Fiyero - someone like Jeremy Pope or Nolan Gerard Funk would be great.
I've started to come around on Ari for Glinda. She was great and game when she hosted SNL a few years ago, and she's an UBER Wicked Fan. Keeping those two facts in mind, I feel confident she's at least going to GO for it.
Cynthia Erivo does not equal Ben Platt on a million levels. Sure, she's older than we all probably expected that would go. However, she'll be green, and she's stunning & timeless. I'm sooo happy with this choice and can't wait to see where this takes her career. Maybe The Color Purple producers will wake up and make her their Celie in the end!
James from Ames, I love ALL of your suggestions, although I'd rather Short or Kline for the Wizard instead of Dillamond.
Can we just cut Dillamond altogether?
I've heard rumors of Corden being considered for Dillamond, hoping it isn't true. I don't have the same vitriol for him that others do, but I am definitely ready for some other musical personalities to be cast.
I'd kind of like to see Nathan Lane as the Wizard, if we wanted to go a bit left field with the casting.
I'll second Donna Murphy for Madame Morrible!
As for the other main characters, I've fallen a bit behind on my Broadway knowledge, so I'll sit out the younger roles.
I have to imagine, that with both Cynthia and Ariana in the lead roles, the film has a lot of money leftover to hire some big names. They're great actresses, but I don't think they have the highest asking price (they didn't go for an emma stone for one of the roles).
I suspect Meryl is a top contender for Madam Morrible. However, I really hope they go with someone else. I think Glenn has the talent for this and could really sink into a role like this - she always gets the tone right with these kinds of roles. Christine Baranski would thrill me, but she is probably too busy juggling two tv shows and her name might be a bit too small. I'd love to see Carol Kane take this on (again). But again, too small from a box office perspective. I think Patty could work here, but she's too broadway. Daphne-Rueben Vega would be a lot of fun, but again, too broadway and small.
Crappy Casting!!!!!
I saw Ben Vereen on Broadway as the Wizard years ago so that would be my vote... though that seems the most obvious place for stunt casting.
Imelda Staunton (Oscar nominee, musical theater star, Hogwarts veteran) for Madame Morrible.
Please, no Lea Michelle, Ben Platt, and James Corden. They suck.
Erivo, while having astonishing raw talent, was full-on BAD in Harriet...and I'm with WorkingStiff that she wasn't good in Aretha either...no nuance, indeed! It is strange to me that Ben Platt received so much criticism for being 27 playing a teenager, but Erivo will be 35 when they shoot this, playing a similar age (stylized world or not)?
I do join the No More James Corden train though. So many other actors.
And I fear in general that this movie shan't be too good as they will lean into the marketing department and make it very teen girl? And how will Jon Chu do when he doesn't have Lin-Manuel directing for him (we know that's the case, right?)?
But more importantly, who will they cast as Dorothy, such a beloved character?
But more importantly, who will they cast as Dorothy, such a beloved character?
I'm not very familiar with the musical, but I do like these two as performers. I think Ariana can pull the part off. She has a great sense of humor and while I have long noticed her enunciation issues, I think that may be more a stylistic choice than anything else.