Every actress who auditioned for Glinda in the Wicked movie
29 November 2024, 15:58 | Updated: 29 November 2024, 16:14
Four actresses have confirmed they auditioned for Glinda in Wicked before Ariana Grande landed the role.
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Glinda (or Galinda, if you're a true day one stan) is portrayed brilliantly by Ariana Grande in the new Wicked movie, but the search to find the right actress was a lot more complicated than you might think.
Discussing the Glinda casting process on a panel, director Jon M. Chu spoke in detail about finding the perfect actress to portray the beloved character. "Every actor who was available wanted to come in and read for Elphaba and Glinda – these are dream roles. We saw everybody, and they were all very good," he said.
"I wouldn't say anybody took it," he added. "I wouldn't say anyone came in and said, 'I am the Glinda of this moment.'"
He was also hesitant about casting Ariana at first, admitting: "I was like, 'No way are we hiring Ariana Grande! That's like too many brands..." And uh, she came in and she was the most interesting person in that room that day."
After being brought back several times, Ariana's commitment, humour and deep understanding of Glinda ultimately earned her the role. But who else has confirmed that they auditioned? Here's the full list of everyone who has confirmed they went out for the part so far.
- Read more: Wicked director explains why they cut iconic Glinda line from the film
- Read more: Here's who almost played Wicked's Fiyero instead of Jonathan Bailey
Who auditioned to play Glinda in Wicked?
Dove Cameron
Dove had long been a fan favourite to play Glinda if a Wicked movie was ever made. In fact, in 2019, she responded to all the fan casting chat, telling ET: "I don’t think everyone wants me to be Glinda but, I mean, it’s like the role of a lifetime. I’ve been dreaming of it since I was, like, 7. I mean, I should be so lucky to be considered."
Dove later confirmed that she auditioned for Glinda and that it was a "very long process". Despite not landing the role, Dove was full of compliments for Ariana who had just been announced as the co-lead.
She told The Wrap: "I’m so excited for Ariana. She’s a genuinely dear friend of mine. We met when we were super young," Dove continued. "I think she’s gonna kill it. I think the whole cast is phenomenal head to toe. So, like, as a fan, I’m really, really excited to see it."
Amanda Seyfried
Mamma Mia and Les Misérables star Amanda Seyfried also confirmed she went out for Glinda. Speaking to Backstage, Amanda revealed that she "bent over backwards" auditioning for the coveted role.
At the time, Amanda was also working on The Dropout (which later earned her an Emmy and a Golden Globe) and carved out time on the weekends in order to be able to audition in person.
"I have dreams that I’m still auditioning for Wicked," Amanda said. "Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [on The Dropout], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of Wicked—because I wanted it that much that I was like, 'You know what? Yeah, I have to play the last scene of ‘The Dropout’ on Tuesday. I’ll give my Sunday to you."
She continued: "I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life. But I think it also taught me how far I’ve come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove. Because ever since Les Mis, I was like, 'I need to be better. I need to do better.' So whatever comes next in terms of musicals, I’m finally prepared."
Reneé Rapp
Rising star Reneé, who is also known for her incredible performance as Regina George both on stage and in the Mean Girls musical movie, revealed that she tried out for Glinda on Watch What Happens Live.
When asked if she auditioned, Reneé responded: "I did, I did, yeah. Ariana's gonna be – can I cuss? Ok, she's gonna be f---ing amazing. I'm so excited."
Taylor Louderman
Shortly after Cynthia Erivo and Ariana's castings were announced, Taylor (who is best known for originating the role of Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway) posted on Instagram expressing her sadness over not landing the role.
Alongside a screenshot of Deadline's casting announcement article, Taylor wrote: “yyyy did I even audition or think I had a chance?!”
“This business…you can’t care too much about any role you’re auditioning for (or you could get hurt & won’t come back) but you have to care enough to give it your all,” she continued, sharing a picture of herself looking tearful. “I cared too much this time. I hope it’s okay that I’m sharing this.”
Despite speculation and a handful of unconfirmed lists of actresses circulating online, no one else has confirmed that they auditioned for the role of Glinda just yet.
As Jon M. Chu said, countless actresses from stage and screen auditioned for the role with some getting much further than others in the process. Cynthia also confirmed that she screen-tested with a handful of actresses who got down to the final few, but did not name them.
We'll update this article if more stars open up about their Glinda auditions. Watch this space!
Read more about Wicked here:
- Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say Elphaba and Glinda are queer
- Wicked director explains why they changed 'Defying Gravity' in the movie
- Wicked's Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum reveal Part 2 will include new original songs
- Wicked Part 2: Release date, cast, plot spoilers, songs and news about the sequel
- When will Wicked be on streaming? How to watch the Wicked movie online
WATCH: Wicked cast vs. 'The Most Impossible Wicked Quiz'
Wicked Cast vs. 'The Most Impossible Wicked Quiz'
