I Just Found Out Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo Were A Blind Pairing For Wicked, And The Story Is Fantastic

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The Wicked movies have been delayed past 2025, but people are still eagerly anticipating their release, particularly fans of the stage show. I recently learned how director Jon M. Chu decided to cast Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and I was surprised by the story behind it.

I’ve heard the auditions for Wicked were incredibly competitive. Amanda Seyfried actually auditioned six times and still didn’t get the part! It’s hard to imagine how many auditions the actresses who eventually played Glinda and Elphaba went through. Here’s what the director shared about how they chose the perfect pairing for the roles.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande didn’t actually audition together to see if they had chemistry. We tested them with other actors first. But it quickly became clear that Cynthia was perfect as Elphaba and Ariana was perfect as Glinda. We didn’t need to see them together – we were confident their talents would complement each other, so we took a chance and cast them.

It’s surprising, right? You’d think Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would have had to do a lot of screen tests together to see if they had chemistry, but actually, they were each cast individually before being paired up. The director wasn’t initially certain they’d work well together, but he decided to take a chance after carefully considering each actress. He explained further:

The first time we met, a group of us gathered at my house. I had a piano there because I was preparing to move to London – someone moving in had left it. Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the music for Wicked, was also there. He spontaneously started playing and suggested we try singing ‘For Good’. That’s how the two of them first sang together – with ‘For Good’.

John Chu took a chance on a blind pairing, and came up very much in luck with these two actresses. And the fact that the first song they got to duet is “For Good,” feels like the perfect way for their journey together to start. Of course, both of them are huge talents in their own right and are perfect in their respective roles, but their chemistry as friends is so key to Wicked. The director also said this in an interview from TODAY with Jenna & Friends:

I’ll never forget waking my kids up that night. I remember telling them, ‘You absolutely have to see this – you’re witnessing history!’ We were all crying, and in that moment, I just knew this was something truly special. It felt like the world was about to be changed, and honestly, I don’t think anyone understood just how much.

And the rest, as they say, is history! The first Wicked film was released last autumn and was a big hit, earning several Oscar nominations—including recognition for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. While the second film, For Good, received a more varied response from viewers—especially regarding its new characters—the leads’ performances were still highly praised. (It’s also worth noting that the sequel was a box office success, breaking several records.)

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo truly made a splash during the press events for Wicked! Their coordinated outfits and the now-famous “holding space” moment were highlights. If you’re eager to see the first Wicked movie, it’s currently available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription, or you can rent or buy it digitally.

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2025-12-31 05:38