Wicked Movie Seeks New Director- Page 9

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 4/9/21 at 7:04pm

If she wants to do it, I can’t imagine that Universal won’t give it to her, considering the current status of her career.

[Mrtrobz]

Posted: 4/9/21 at 7:14pm

If she truly has put the work in which I do believe she has then I'm all for her getting the part because I know she will be able to act it so well, HOWEVER they would have to film it before she gets any older and pair her up with a suitable co-star to make her look age appropriate on screen. Realistically if Glinda is suppose to be in her first year of university she is probably petween the ages of 18-21 they'd get away with skewing older for Elphaba because she is legitimately older only there to chaperone her sister which means you could cast that character as slightly more mature to begin with.

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 4/9/21 at 9:05pm

100% agree. I actually think she COULD be brilliant. Was her voice not up to par in 2012?....perhaps not. But I feel that given the momentum behind her performance in “Mank”, she could very easily get this role. I loved her in Mank, and I think she could surprise us with an extremely layered, nuanced and ultimately fresh take on Glinda. Just give us a woman of color as elphaba and we’re off to the races.

[Globefan]

Posted: 4/9/21 at 9:07pm

Amanda still looks young enough to play Glinda 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 4/9/21 at 10:15pm

starlightlocamotion said: "100% agree. I actually think she COULD be brilliant. Was her voice not up to par in 2012?....perhaps not. But I feel that given the momentum behind her performance in “Mank”, she could very easily get this role. I loved her in Mank, and I think she could surprise us with an extremely layered, nuanced and ultimately fresh take on Glinda. Just give us a woman of color as elphaba and we’re off to the races. "

I still think Ariana Debose should play Elphie

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 12:00am

Oh I would love that for Ariana! My first thought of a fellow Oscar nominated actress on the rise who can sing the role AND is age appropriate when matched up with amanda is actually Cynthia Erivo. I think they could be a dynamite duo. (I really would love to see eva noblezada in the role if they decide to go younger.)

[BwayLB]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 12:54am

^ Or Cynthia too

[Mrtrobz]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 3:59am

My first pick is Arianna DeBose but if they go with Amanda Seyfried then Cynthia is a better fit age and look wise and she has more clout. 

I think Jon M Chu will give us a woman of colour as Elphaba and possibly Madame Morrible in which case someone like Alfre Woodard or Octavia Spencer would be great. Even Oprah could do it and I wouldn't be mad at all. My ultimate pick is Julie Andrews, Angela Langsbury or Streisand though it could be a real gorgeous moment in their later career. 

The cast should be diverse and in my opinion the role of Elphaba would be more poignant and important if she is played by a person of colour but likewise a newcomer could also fit the bill if they pair them with a cast of award nominees and winners.

In terms of the discussion on Amanda's voice I remember she did this rendition a few years back and I think a lot of her voice quibbles have improved her vibrato I'd definitely more in check, there is strength there but she still has a light voice which we have seen many Glinda's have.

 

 

Updated On: 4/10/21 at 03:59 AM

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 7:03am

I would actually love if they cast Amanda as Glinda. Aside from an unknown or a Broadway performer, she’s the only suggestion I’ve heard or can think of that could act the role as well as it deserves, is the right type, and could conceivably sing it. The only time I’ve ever found her voice unpleasant was in Les Mis, and I don’t think anyone sounded their best in that film.

I also think Amanda is the perfect age. I’ve mentioned before my hope that they don’t skew too young because I don’t want the latter half of the story to lose any weight. I think Amanda could easily pass for college-aged and could also play the woman Glinda grows into.

[JennH]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 11:00am

I still cannot fathom how this was supposed to be out by now...thanks to it being pushed back by f-in CATS. Time is weird.

Anyways, I still stand firm in my belief that there is no reason whatsoever to do big name casting for the starring roles. NONE. I'm so adamant about this, it hurts. This.will.be.fine.on name alone, Wicked is a globally known property that people will absolutely go see regardless of who the two leads are so if they do go for names, it will be clear what the objective is. This is too easy to cast two lesser known ladies who'll crush it, kick their careers off, and star cast around them. It SCREAMS for this.

But if they do stupidly decide to make money the priority, I still am of the belief Gaga needs to be Elphaba. Get her more acting training and she'll slay this into oblivion. We all love Cynthia and want a WOC, but she still isn't really a name to anyone outside the Broadway community and I can't think of any big Hollywood names that are WOC who can do it. I'm also tired so maybe I'm not thinking clearly enough to remember anyone else. 

I still am hesitant about Amanda as Glinda, but if she really has taken the time to do some heavy work on her singing, I wouldn't mind. Must be nice to be able to take singing lessons that many times a week in quarantine though....It's def in her wheelhouse acting wise and dare I say I appreciate that video with Vanessa and her admission that she would do it over if she could? She wasn't ready for it back then, and I want to see that movie redone just generally. I never thought it was a travesty to humankind, but being such an underwhelming movie adaptation of the planet's most popular musical really didn't do it any favors. 

[Globefan]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 8:28pm

How about Melissa Barrera for Elphaba? 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 10:31pm

“ We all love Cynthia and want a WOC, but she still isn't really a name to anyone outside the Broadway community and I can't think of any big Hollywood names that are WOC who can do it”

Uhhh...she’s an Oscar nominee, I think she’s doing ok in the Hollywood community

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 11:37pm

Cynthia is a two-time Oscar nominee, was nominated for basically every award for Harriet including a Grammy Award, got major TV buzz and multiple award nominations for the HBO series The Outsider, and was just one of the select few to present at the SAG Awards this year. I think people in Hollywood know who she is.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 4/10/21 at 11:51pm

^ And got casted as the Blue Fairy in the Disney Plus live action remake of Pinocchio

[Mrtrobz]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 10:35am

I don't think we should sleep on Emmy Raver-Lampman I think she has a personal connection to Jon M Chu too I've definitely seen them interact on twitter and she'd be age appropriate to pair with Amanda if they go for her.

I think Zendaya could be good for Nessa Rose her star is really on the rise at the minute too and she's become a household name. 

Updated On: 4/11/21 at 10:35 AM

[JennH]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 11:36am

In response to the above about my post referring to Cynthia...yes HOLLYWOOD knows who she is now. Audiences do not, and that is what I was talking about, which I should have clarified so apologies. Ask the average movie audience member and they'll go "Cynthia who?". 

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 11:39am

This statement is clearly based on rigorous qualitative testing. Good work.

[Tag]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 11:46am

HeyMrMusic said: "Cynthia is a two-time Oscar nominee, was nominated for basically every award for Harriet including a Grammy Award, got major TV buzz and multiple award nominations for the HBO series The Outsider, and was just one of the select few to present at the SAG Awards this year. I think people in Hollywood know who she is."

I'd still be willing to bet that 99% of people wouldn't be able to name her.  Despite the accomplishments listed above, she interestingly hasn't become mainstream.

Also please keep her away from Wicked.

[ImaginaryManticore]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 11:58am

Even if they want to fill the cast with household names, Elphaba is the part that really doesn't need it. She's the Wicked Witch of the West and will be covered in make-up, so she's closer to the known superhero characters that have been played by up-and-comers.

All Elphaba's songs are the type that will feel long and unnecessary onscreen unless the audience is genuinely blown away by the singing. Cynthia's the only one I can think of who would be able pull that off. Plus, the producers will unquestionably be going for Golden Globes (and Oscar nominations if they can get them), so putting an Oscar nominee in the part would make a lot of sense.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 11:59am

Despite all of that, as someone already mentioned, Disney cast her as one of the headliners in their upcoming Pinocchio movie, so she will be a household name soon enough. Anyway, we’re talking about people’s perceptions of people’s perceptions. I don’t think this all matters. Plus, if we’re talking about unknowns and you believe Cynthia to be a relative unknown, then she qualifies for this movie under the parameters established in this thread.

If Zendaya were to be cast, she’d be Elphaba and not Nessarose. You’d need a megastar for her to take a fourth-banana role at this point in her career.

I think this movie will be cast the way In the Heights was cast: we as theatre people will know who the actors are and some outside the theatre world will recognize them for playing a random person in a random movie. That’s to say I think it will be a pretty fresh cast. Jon Chu and the studio know that the property is the star. I have faith that Jon Chu will want to work with people who really deliver. Also, knowing that he does incredible movie scenes in the rain, I’m hoping we have a couple good ones in this film.

[Mrtrobz]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 2:51pm

I'm not so sure about the rain scenes in this film other than I'm not that girl, Elphaba can't really be shown getting wet or the melting scene might not make much sense.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 5:09pm

Mrtrobz said: "I'm not so sure about the rain scenes in this film other than I'm not that girl, Elphaba can't really be shown getting wet or the melting scene might not make much sense. "

It already doesn’t make much sense in the stage script since she pops up out of a trapdoor and runs off with Fiyero after she’s been “melted.”

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 6:23pm

And I think we can agree the book will be tightened up a bit for the film adaptation. The camp elements of Glinda will more than likely be removed.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 6:24pm

ImaginaryManticore said: "Even if they want to fill the cast with household names, Elphaba is the part that really doesn't need it. She's the Wicked Witch of the West and will be covered in make-up, so she's closer to the known superhero characters that have been played byup-and-comers."

Good point. I'm amazed at how much the green makeup makes each actress disappear into the role. 

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/11/21 at 10:02pm

Honestly, I think it's really arrogant that Amanda Seyfried assumes one year of lessons makes her ready for Galinda. Especially given how weak her singing was in Les Mis.