Movies
‘Wicked’ director explains why he chose Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the stars
Jon M. Chu was absolutely blown away by the two ‘Wicked’ stars long before they stepped into the roles.
‘Wicked’ has been quite an event at the end of the year. The film adapts the 2003 play of the same name (itself based on the book of the same name) and tells the origin of the witches of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda, long before Dorothy realized she was no longer in Kansas. In fact, the film has been such a success that it is already the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway play in history in its first weekend, with 114 million dollars. Its director, Jon M. Chu (’Now You See Me 2′) said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the reasons why he chose Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the protagonists of ‘Wicked’.
Cynthia, the great winner of hearts
As for Cynthia Erivo, who plays the Wicked Witch of the West, Jon M. Chu admits: “She came in and we knew she could do it. It’s a revelation when you see her as Elphaba. It’s not just about singing the songs as she does masterfully, It’s about reinterpreting the entire character in a way that connects with you and your life.”. In addition, he referred to her athletic ability that she used for the musical numbers: “She runs marathons, so she’s like, ‘I’m doing my stunts and I’m doing them live.’”
A change of attitude, key for Ariana Grande
In the beggining, Jon M. Chu was not convinced by the singer to be Glinda in ‘Wicked’. “To be honest, she had to climb a higher mountain because I thought ‘Wicked’ wasn’t big enough for Ariana Grande, who is really big, she would sit on top of it.” However, the actress fought for the role by changing her attitude and putting herself in the shoes of the Good Witch. “She’s engaged, but she had all the Ariana Grande makeup on. The next time she arrived, she had removed all her makeup and was looking the part. And when she showed up on the first day, it was Glinda. Her voice was different. The way she walked was different. “I have never seen anyone change like that,” the director admitted.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande gave two great performances in ‘Wicked’ and could be rewarded with a nomination for the Oscar for Best Actress. The film has been a success and fans are eagerly awaiting the second part, which will arrive in November 2025 and will put an end to the story of the two witches.
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