We have our first professional photos of the leads of the Wicked movie, including Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard (all courtesy of Vanity Fair!)
The cast and director, Jon M. Chu, also sat down for a brief interview.
We learned some fun tidbits about the movie, including that Cynthia and Ariana sing the famed musical’s songs live in the film!
Keep reading to find out more…
Jon shared, “These are live vocals. When we were shooting it, those girls were like, ‘F-ck the pre-records. We’re going live.’”
He recalls asking, “There’s going to be a lot of wind in your air pipes. Is that okay?” They both responded yes!
About their auditions, Ariana said she had been wanting the role for years. She said, “It was literally 10 years of being like, ‘Knock, knock, any developments? Is there an audition coming this year, or next year? I would like to start preparing today.’”
Jon said of Ariana, “Every time she came in to audition, she’d be there at least 30 minutes early. I’d see her car circling. I’d be like, ‘Who is that?’ ‘That’s Ariana Grande.’ ‘Why is she here so early?’”
Despite Cynthia‘s massive success, she didn’t think she’d even be seen for the role! Once she landed it, she shared, “I was training like I was a boxer.” Jon said of her audition after hearing her sing, “Marc and I looked at each other and we’re like, ‘We’re done.’ ”
On Ariana, Cynthia said, “I just need to say that I don’t think people realize that she’s got the chops. I don’t think people realize how brilliant this person’s brain and voice and talent is.”
On Cynthia, Ariana shared, “She’s my favorite female voice. When I was watching you sing at the Oscars, I said, ‘I hope someday I get to sing with her.’”
Part One is set to be released in theaters on November 27, 2024 and Part Two will follow on November 26, 2025. Watch the first trailer!
Head to VanityFair.com for a lot more!