'Wicked' can't seem to catch a break as fans criticize casting decision
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: With just weeks to go until its release, 'Wicked' can’t seem to escape one controversy after another. Recently, Cynthia Erivo made headlines when she criticized a fan-made poster and called it the 'most offensive thing I have seen' in her social media post. Ariana Grande had to come forward to defend her casting in the musical film.
'Wicked' is adapted from the 1900 novel 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', which also inspired a Broadway show and 1939 film 'The Wizard of Oz'. In the upcoming film, Grande plays Glinda, a popular young woman who later becomes the Good Witch of the North. Certain fans of the Broadway show have been criticizing her casting lately.
Fans are unhappy with Ariana Grande's casting in 'Wicked'
A Reddit user expressed their concerns about Grande's casting as they wrote, "Anyone else disappointed in the casting? I am still not too fond of Ariana Grande as Glinda . Really wish they would have given to part to Kristin Chenoweth (she can still play young-she is agless imo) or went with a new unknown actress or a Broadway vet. Am I the only one feeling this way? Dont get me wrong Grande is a great singer but not sure her acting is right for the part at least for me."
Several people joined the thread, sharing similar thoughts. A fan wrote, "Glinda and Elphaba should have gone to relatively unknowns." Someone else added, "I agree about Ariana Grande, I think her voice is a bit too poppy for musical theatre. Plus, while I'm sure Ariana Grande can sing the part just fine, I have my doubts about whether she can act. Cynthia Erivo is at least a well acclaimed Broadway actor and singer. I do disagree about casting Kristin Chenoweth though. At this point I think she is too old to play the part."
Ariana Grande defends her 'Wicked' casting ahead of release
As 'Wicked' nears its release, Grande opened up about mixed reactions from fans regarding her casting as Glinda. Since she is a fan of Broadway musicals herself, she has acknowledged that the expectations of fans are quite high. The singer/actress recently appeared on the ‘Sentimental Men’ podcast, where she opened up about the audition process for the film, and talked about the pressure she has faced to deliver a performance that lives up to the expectations of fans.
She said, “This is something I loved so much about auditioning for ‘Wicked’. It has to be earned. Anything on this scale, being a part of anything, it’s not just given because they know for one thing. So, it’s fun to kind of have the challenge of reframing people’s perception and doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces.”
Grande, who has been involved in musical theatre since she was eight, said, “I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver.” Understanding the concerns of fans, she pointed out that fans aren't aware of the extensive training she has undergone to play Glinda. She added, “Going off of ‘Side to Side’, I probably would’ve said the same thing. I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the f–? Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this. Kill me.’ I would’ve said that — as a fan from the outside knowing of only ‘7 Rings’."
When and where to watch 'Wicked'?
‘Wicked’ follows the story of Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda who cross paths at Shiz University and find themselves on a transformative adventure. The supporting cast of the film includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film is scheduled to release in cinemas in the United States on Friday, November 22.
'Wicked' trailer
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