The Ultimate Insider's Guide to the Star-Studded 'Wicked' Cast: Revealing Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Many More!
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are set to captivate audiences in the highly anticipated 'Wicked' movie adaptation, portraying the iconic roles of Glinda and Elphaba Joining them are a talented ensemble cast including Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Adam James, Keala Settle, and Bronwyn James Get ready to be enchanted by this star-studded lineup!
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the WestWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the WestWicked has long been one of the most popular shows on the Great White Way, and it tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch before the arrival of Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz. In this prequel, the two aspiring witches meet as students at Shiz University and navigate their way through friendship, romance, magical training, and self-discovery.
The original Broadway production of Wicked opened in 2004 with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth starring as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. While many other actors have since taken on the roles of these unlikely best friends, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have been cast in the adaptation directed by Chu.
Chu, the director of "Crazy Rich Asians" and "In the Heights," expressed his excitement on Instagram in November 2021, calling the two actresses "witches." He revealed that he had the emotional moment of informing Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande that they were cast as Elphaba and Galinda respectively in the upcoming film adaptation of "Wicked" for Universal Studios. Chu eagerly anticipates the phenomenal performances they will deliver. The filming of "Wicked," which will be released in two parts, commenced in London in early 2023. See below for a comprehensive list of all the stars involved in the cast.
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Ariana Grande
The pop star, who debuted on Broadway in the musical 13 at the age of 13, was cast as Galinda “with a Ga.” (At the conclusion of the show, the good witch later changes her name to Glinda as a tribute to the departed Shiz teacher, Professor Dillamond.)
In 2011, Grande took on the role once before. She expressed her excitement on Twitter, saying, "Loved seeing Wicked again... amazing production," and shared a backstage photo with Chenoweth. This experience reaffirmed Grande's desire to play Glinda in her life at some point. #DreamRole.
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Cynthia Erivo
Erivo, who will play the character Elphaba, expressed uncertainty about whether her portrayal would involve wearing green paint or utilizing CGI effects to achieve the green appearance. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in April 2022, she mentioned not having seen herself in the Elphaba makeup yet and explained that they were currently discussing how green the character should be and how the greenness might evolve as the character changes. Director Jon M. Chu was open to exploring creative options and had asked Erivo if she preferred to be physically green or have a CGI-generated green appearance. Erivo expressed a preference for actually being green as she believed that CGI might not achieve the desired effect and wanted the greenness to feel like her own skin.
The England native was later spotted with green-painted skin in set photos.
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Jonathan Bailey
The Bridgerton heartthrob, who won an Olivier Award in England for his role in Company, will play Elphie and Galinda’s love interest, Fiyero.
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Ethan Slater
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Slater received a Tony nomination for his lead role in Broadway's SpongeBob The Musical almost four years before being chosen to play munchkin Boq in Wicked. Notably, Boq harbors unrequited feelings for Galinda, who then arranges for him to date Elphaba's sister, Nessarose.
Although Boq does not find love in the show, Slater sparked a romance with Grande during their time on set. (In July 2023, it was confirmed that Grande and Slater began dating after their recent breakups from spouses Dalton Gomez and Lilly Jay, respectively.)
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Michelle Yeoh
The Oscar winner, who previously worked with Chu on Crazy Rich Asians, will bring headmistress Madame Morrible to life on the big screen.
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Jeff Goldblum
While Goldblum has not revealed which Wicked character he will play, IMDB lists his role as the iconic wizard.
While on the set of Wicked, I had an experience that I'm not allowed to discuss. However, it has become public knowledge," he humorously mentioned during his guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in March 2023. "During one particular day of shooting, I unexpectedly found myself overcome with fear, as a childhood fear resurfaced."
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Bowen Yang
The Saturday Night Live star plays Shiz student Pfannee.
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Marissa Bode
Bode landed the role of Nessarose, who is Elphaba’s beloved sibling.
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Adam James
According to IMDB, James will play Grande’s movie father.
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Keala Settle
Settle earned the role of Miss Coddle in Wicked.
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Bronwyn James
James is another Shiz student, who is named ShenShen.
