Universal Pictures
When Jon M. Chu signed on to direct Wicked, he originally wanted to find two “no-namers” to play the lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda. Chu believed the iconic story and music would be enough to sell the movie.
“I wanted to have a very clear slate coming into Wicked,” Chu told SFX Magazine via Gamesradar. “It’s a big enough property on its own, so we can discover two people. I was like, ‘We’re gonna find no-namers.’”
However, Chu’s mindset started to change during the audition process. Chu realized casting talented actresses to sing these songs and capture the characters’ emotions was extremely important. It was about finding the right people, even if they weren’t unknown actresses.
“Then we got calls from all these great actresses who wanted to audition, and we saw everybody, and they were all really great. Anyone could have done this role, except there were two people who were meant to do this role for this particular movie at this particular time,” Chu said. “What we found out when we were auditioning everyone was that the songs are so important in this movie and so emotionally important to this movie that the person who’s doing it has to get into song and out of song so easily that it’s like butter, like you don’t even notice it. That means having good chops in their skill set.”
Who is involved in Wicked?
In the end, Chu cast Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp and Ariana Grande as Ariana Grande as Galinda Upland. Wicked begins with Elphaba and Galinda as two students at Shiz University who eventually become friends. Their encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz causes a schism in their relationship, as they eventually set out on paths to become Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wicked’s ensemble includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, and Peter Dinklage.
Chu directs Wicked on a script by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Wicked is an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical by Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. Producers include Marc Platt and David Stone.
Wicked opens in theaters on November 22, 2024. This is the first part in a two-movie adaptation of Wicked. Part Two will be released on November 21, 2025.
(Source: SFX Magazine via Gamesradar)
The post Wicked Director Originally Wanted to Cast ‘No-Namers’ as Elphaba and Glinda appeared first on ComingSoon.net – Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
