Wicked: Amanda Seyfried Auditioned for Live-Action Movie

By Jenna Anderson

Movie musicals are hitting a fever-pitch in Hollywood, with some beloved productions getting the big-screen blockbuster treatment. Soon among them will be Wicked, the long-awaited adaptation of the smash hit Wizard of Oz prequel. After years of being in the works, the two-film adaptation of the story is finally on track to become a reality, gaining a director in Jon M. Chu, and stars in Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and now we have a bit more insight into who almost appeared in the film. In a recent interview with IndieWire, actress Amanda Seyfried revealed that she auditioned to play the role of Glinda, which eventually went to Grande.

"I have dreams that I'm still auditioning for Wicked," Seyfried 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.' 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," Seyfried continued. "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."

Wicked is a prequel to the iconic events of The Wizard of Oz, and tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch), who struggle through opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government, and, ultimately, Elphaba's public fall from grace.

The musical, which first debuted on Broadway in 2003, has become a beloved part of musical theater, ultimately grossing over $1 billion in total Broadway revenue in 2016. The original production of Wicked featured Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, both of whom have been among the wishlist fans have had for the movie adaptation.

"I still think that I should be Elphaba and I should just throw, slap that green makeup on me and get some CGI and Benjamin Button the shit out of that," Menzel said in a 2019 interview. "I mean I love you, Ariana [Grande], but I still am relevant here."

Are you excited for the Wicked movie? What do you think of Amanda Seyfried having auditioned for it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Trending Now: