The Long Road to Oz: Wicked's Casting Journey Revealed
The upcoming film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked had a much more complicated casting process than fans might realize, with numerous major stars vying for roles before the final ensemble was announced. New revelations show that Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, and multiple Jonas brothers were among those who auditioned for what became one of Hollywood's most sought-after projects.
Early Attempts and Major What-Ifs
Back in 2016, a completely different version of the Wicked movie was in development under director Stephen Daldry. According to sources speaking with Page Six, Lady Gaga was essentially cast as Elphaba in this earlier iteration. "They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be," revealed an insider. "[Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through." The project eventually stalled when Daldry departed in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts.
That same source dropped another surprising revelation: Canadian superstar Shawn Mendes was in the running to play Fiyero, the handsome love interest who captures both Glinda and Elphaba's attention. This early version of the film would have featured a very different cast from what audiences will eventually see.
The Glinda Auditions: A Highly Competitive Role
The role of Glinda proved to be particularly competitive, with multiple acclaimed actresses putting everything on the line for the part. Amanda Seyfried shared that she auditioned while simultaneously filming her Emmy-winning performance in Hulu's The Dropout. "Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [Holmes on The Dropout], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda," Seyfried explained. "I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life."
Dove Cameron also went through what she described as "one of the longer processes" for the film adaptation. While she didn't specify which role she pursued, she has previously called Glinda the "role of a lifetime." Meanwhile, Renée Rapp confirmed she auditioned for Glinda and expressed excitement about Ariana Grande's casting, saying "She's gonna be f***ing amazing."
Even Taylor Louderman, who originated the role of Regina George in the Mean Girls Broadway musical, tried out for the film. She took to Instagram when the casting was finally announced, writing: "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. I cared too much this time."
Elphaba Hopefuls and Fiyero Contenders
On the other side of the casting call, several actresses vied for the complex role of Elphaba. Cristin Milioti revealed she had two weeks to prepare for her audition and became obsessed with the ending riff in "Defying Gravity." Her actual performance, however, didn't go as planned. "The sound that escaped me is something I will hear on my deathbed," she confessed. "Like, when you hear coyotes attack as a group — it was horrible."
Phylicia Pearl Mpasi emotionally discussed her audition experience in a YouTube video, tearfully explaining how the prospect of being in Wicked made her feel seen as a Black woman. "I'm acting like I'm in it, and I'm not," she said. "I did audition, didn't get it. It's fine, Cynthia's going to be, oh she's going to be stellar."
The role of Fiyero attracted multiple high-profile contenders beyond Shawn Mendes. Brothers Nick and Joe Jonas both auditioned for the same part, creating a unique family competition. "We've never talked about this publicly, but we both auditioned for the same role — Joe and I," Nick revealed. Joe added that while it felt strange competing against his brother, he ultimately wanted one of them to be cast, telling Nick: "Go in there and kill it. It has to be one of us."
Other Fiyero hopefuls included Ryan McCartan, who had previously played the role on Broadway in the show's 15th-anniversary cast, and Spencer Sutherland, who confirmed he received a "double callback" for the part. "When I got a couple of callbacks, I was like, 'Oh shit, this is real,'" Sutherland recalled.
The Final Casting Decisions
In the end, the roles went to Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, but even Grande's path to casting had an interesting twist. The pop superstar revealed that she initially auditioned for both leading roles. "I had an inkling in my heart always that it was going to be Glinda," Grande shared on the Sentimental Men podcast. "But I was hearing really mixed things from people who were like, 'Oh, they want you to read for both.' I secretly knew I was only meant for Glinda."
The extensive casting process highlights the tremendous appeal of bringing Wicked to the big screen and the careful consideration that went into selecting the perfect ensemble. While many talented performers came close to landing these iconic roles, the production ultimately moved forward with what director Jon M. Chu deemed the ideal cast to bring the magical world of Oz to life for a new generation.
