Nicole Scherzinger set to be Elphaba in Wicked movie?

“Nicole has held early discussions with film bosses who think she’s perfect for the role of Elphaba. She’s been eyeing a career in acting for some time now, so playing the lead role in a such a popular musical would be a major coup.There’s still some way to go before a final decision but she’s very much in the frame for the job.”

source

what yall think about this??

Don't really know The Sun, but isn't it pretty much a tabloid? Also, I would say she's far from a big star.

I like her, but NO. Also, isn't The Sun the one that's really racist?

If the problem with Idina playing it is that she's too old, then this isn't much of an improvement. I'd love a fresh face or at least a young person.

I agree Poparia, I've been saying it for a while. They could still earn back all the money if they cast elphaba and even Glinda with unknowns and then all the supporting characters wit a-list actors. It would be amazing if they did that.

blaxx said: "I don't see how a show like this will get legit singers, be 90% sure it will be a star with a passable voice.

This is Elphie from Wicked not Effie from Dreamgirls, no producer would think the way the songs are written is above a huge name who can be auto-tuned.

"

It's so sad that you're probably right. But I disagree with you a little bit- Elphie's role is for people who are BELTERS and can use their chest voice like no other, just like Effie. Think of the belting in Defying Gravity and No Good Deed, Elphaba cannot sing in the same style as Glinda or Belle, and I hope the producers don't overlook that this needs to be a powerful voice. I saw Wicked a couple months ago and was impressed with the current Elphaba because she was powerful and hit every note just like you hear on the cast recordings. Nicole is exactly the right strong voice type for this, but can she sing Defying Gravity as a 38-year-old? Maybe that's why she's being considered?

blaxx said: "I see your point as a theater lover; the film industry couldn't care less.

Just think of the number of film celebrities who can hum a tune and who could generate millions for a movie studio. I find there is no way that Hollywood would let an relatively unknown who is a great belter take this over a marketable actress who could be auto tuned or helped with some editing.

This is also a film for two female leads. It's made for a dream celebrity pairing.



"

Right, lest we forget POTO and Hairspray...both of those cast moderate unknowns and they did fine. Not blockbusters, but they did well. Not that the POTO cast could sing any of their stuff, let alone act it, it was a terrible cast, but I'm talking about the "unknownness" of those casts. Hairspray cast Nikki and she was fantastic. Everyone else in that cast, whether unknown or not, was great and perfectly cast. And those films right up until about Mammia Mia or so, was in an era that getting anyone to see a musical anything was a struggle. I feel like all Hollywood cares about are BLOCKBUSTER hits now when they don't have to anymore again. Musicals are more popular than they've been in any recent memory, so why can't they swing certain pieces with some lesser knowns who actually can pull off these roles? Or ANYONE who can do them justice? The Frozen/Wicked parallels are rampant enough, but both scream to kick off some careers with at least the two leads. They're HUGE hits on their own, and I"ll just repeat what we've all been saying...TITLE ALONE WILL SELL THEM.

And yes, sorry there's no getting about Elphaba, auto tune or not. You can tune someone, but you can't fix actually quality of voice. If they cast someone who can't sing the crap out of it, I will throw things. And frankly I'll 1000% take Nicole regardless of her age, if they must do a "stunt" casting. I doubt this source is reliable but I digress. She has a musical theatre background, we all know this and she's known enough to get people in. Plus I'd want the world to finally see what she can REALLY do and she looks damn good for her age. I'd rather her age be made younger by camera technology than someone else's voice be auto tuned to death to hide the fact they can't sing or use dubbing. I want skilled casts again, every single member. And someone mentioned Dan Radcliffe as Boq sometime back...I gotta say, I didn't think that would work at first but I think otherwise now...he'd be perfect. WOULD he take that small of a role? Who knows.

This film better be a Hairspray and not a Phantom, so help me, God.

Also, with a December 2019 release, when does that likely mean filming would commence? In other words, when could we feasibly expect a casting announcement?

Right, lest we forget POTO and Hairspray...both of those cast moderate unknowns and they did fine. Not blockbusters, but they did well.

POTO cost 70 million to make and grossed 50 domestically. Even if you add the international gross it was far from "doing well".

While Hairspray cast ONE unknown as the lead, she was surrounded by almost a dozen celebrities. Wicked doesn't have the numbers to do so.

I'm sorry Wickedites, this is a paring film; think Lea Michele or Grande at best. If you think an unknown who can sing will share the main role with a film celebrity you're having delusions of grandeur.

Updated On: 4/22/17 at 05:56 PM

This is exactly the kind of item Nicole's PR team plants in a paper like the Sun to raise her profile and maybe get her on the radar of producers for a film she's interested in. This is done by PR folks every day. Why some here are taking this seriously is not quite clear to me.

Putting aside the paper's reputation for simply making stuff up, the article in no way says or implies she's "set" for the film.

What audiences really want to see is quality. Especially in this day and age, I see clips of new talent appearing all the time and going viral.
People love to be excited about new things, new stars, the next special thing.

I mean, is there really 1 person on earth that decided to buy a ticket for the les Mis film because of Russel Crowe? And otherwise would have decided not to watch the film?
I don't think so. If anything, performances like that avoid people from watching it a second time and avoid buying the Blu ray, it did for me.
Performances like that will not stand the test of time.

Look at the Beauty and the beast film. Emma Watson was supposedly the big "ticket selling name". Yet it's Luke Evans, Audra Mc Donald and Dan Stevens that bring in the quality and sell the soundtrack and make the film lasting. And yet, Emma's performance was so bad that I can not listen to the soundtrack, and it really keeps me from watching the film again. Maybe I'll give it another go with the French dub.

What the world really warms for is that unknown wonderful talent that really shines through. Stars are so easily created these days.

There is a reason why Mary Poppins and the Sound of Music are still so wonderful today and the Phantom of The opera 2004 film and Les Miserables are not.

jimmycurry01 said: "No, what audiences really want is a likeable star in a pretty looking expensive movie. If you don't get this, you are delusional.

While it is true that Luke Evans and Audra McDonald added quality to Beauty and the Beast, audiences didn't give a rat's ass who was cast in either of those roles.


If you want Broadway talent, with trained voices that don't need help, go to New York and see a Broadway show. Stay away from the Hollywood adaptations. The current industry standard isn't for you.

They are products if their time."


I think Julie Andrews in the time of Mary Poppins and My Fair Lady is a good example. She was replaced in the latter for not being a big enough star (having done only stage work) and then she was cast on talent for Mary Poppins and we all know how that went. In my opinion the My Fair Lady producers were delusional. The Mary Poppins producers were realistic and smart.

"Names" are a product of their time. Unless the talent is so great that it will stand the test of time.

Luke Evans and Audra Mc Donald are saving the BATB movie, and are the reason people will still watch it next year. Next 50 years. In the end, people DO give a rat's ass about talent.

I don't want Broadway talent, I want natural talent. Julie Andrews, Luke Evans and Audra Mc Donald. And I want this standard on both screen and stage.

Hugh Jackman in the les Mis film is way too Broadway parody over the top. Not natural. Many stage Valjeans I have seen, including John Owen Jones gave a much more filmic and intimate performance.

The handful of people who came to Les Mis to think it was funny to hear Russel Crowe sing can not be compared to the number of people that were disappointed in this and many generations to come.

Updated On: 4/24/17 at 07:31 AM