Wicked the Movie- Who should be in the cast - Page 4

[bubbleblonde]

Posted: 3/21/09 at 5:06pm

They could pull some AI star in for Elphaba, Diana Degarmo perhaps?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 2:23am

I actually hated Rosario Dawson's singing in RENT, so I have to disagree.

And, yes, you only have to sing it once, but one of those songs is friggin' "Defying Gravity." You need chops to sing that without it being an absolute trainwreck, even digitized to the max.

[fromthecity]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 1:50pm

Sporky, I think you're missing the point. Clearly, you would to have be able to sing to do these parts. Several people in this thread are slamming Anne Hathway's support issues, or saying other women like Kristen Bell or Amy Adams wouldn't be able to sing Glinda because it's so high soprano. But these women do have good voices. Good enough to hit these notes well in the recording studio. Probably not good enough to sing eight times a week. But who cares about that?

And for the many theatre snobs and some average moviegoers may not have liked Rosario in RENT, there are many many more who did enjoy her. And that's a successful Hollywood casting decision. (the only good casting in the movie, really..)

[inick122492]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 2:24pm

Elphaba: Stephanie J. Block (I don't care she need to be in it!)
Galinda: Amy Adams
Madame Morrible: Andrea Martin, Lainie Kazan, or Miranda Richardson
Nessa: Natalie Portman
Fiyreo: So many choces
Idk bout the rest...

[Amaranth9]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 4:10pm

^inick, Although I realize the chance of it happening is infinitesimal, if I were to be completely honest, deep in my heart of hearts, SJB would be the Elphaba I would most like to see/hear (depending on how she takes direction on screen, of course- her voice is already great recorded.) =)

But as to the more realistic options, I don't think anyone is saying Anne Hathaway can't sing, and SporkGoddess has recognized the fact that whoever they pick need only hit the notes once. She may well receive coaching, but I hope that one time has the power Elphaba should have. The clips I have heard of Hathaway have not demonstrated this, and though she tried going for a fuller sound at the Oscars near the end of her bit, it sounded more like yelling. Also, I feel the tone of voice or whatever the correct term is for what I'm thinking of should convey the fact that Elphaba poses a real threat, however misunderstood she may be. Hathaway and even many stage Elphabas sound so sweet that its hard for me to take that aspect of her character seriously (but this is just my opinion, obviously).

Also, it's hard to leave room for unknowns in this conversation because of the simple fact they are unknown. We limit ourselves though if we think of traditional Hollywood suggestions only. Can you imagine the audition process for that though, whew!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 4:29pm

Ahh, I was going to reply, but Amaranth9 hit most of my points. Well said!

Though, I'd like to add one thing: I don't think Anne Hathaway would do justice to the song even singing it once. She had trouble belting "Somebody to Love" and that's not nearly as taxing as Elphaba's songs. She could probably hit the notes, but I don't think it would sound that great. Again, I just don't think her voice is meant for that kind of singing. Which is fine--she has a pretty enough upper register and I would not be upset if she played Galinda (though, again, I do think she needs to work on support and controlling that vibrato).

Really, we need someone with pipes like Jennifer Hudson in the role.

[provocation]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 5:27pm

the thought of anne hathaway and amy adams playing elphaba and glinda, respectively, scares the crap out of me. they are not vocally up to par. unknowns for the two females would rock, just as long as the elphaba goes up to the A on the second "bring me down" in "defying gravity."

[bubbleblonde]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 5:35pm

Stephanie J. Block would be dreadful on screen. She's a stage actress and her acting is very much 'people can see my expressions in the back of a 3000 seat theater' type acting. Anne Hathaway sounds like she'd have trouble with the lowest notes of Defying Gravity. Her rendition of Somebody to Love reminds me of Wicked fangirls who post themselves on youtube singing the end of Defying Gravity in head voice.

[sayokay]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 7:00pm

Nobody has yet to mention Laura Bell Bundy as Glinda. She's not doing much now, and it could be her "big break" into mainstream Hollywood. She definitely has the chops, performed it on Broadway, and has a bunch of Legally Blonde fans to back her up at the box office. HOW can you resist LBB being Glinda?!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 7:06pm

Having heard LBB's Galinda, I disagree that she has the chops.

[sayokay]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 7:09pm

Really? Just curious, what was wrong with her? I loved her in Legally Blonde!!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 8:07pm

Terrible diction, very breathy, bad placement. Could barely hit the high notes.

Of course, I didn't like her singing in LBB either, so we clearly have different taste.

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 8:12pm

I'd like to thank the folks for suggesting SJB and LBB, I really needed the laughs. Note - I don't dislike either of them, but the thought that a major studio is going to cast them in a big budget musical like Wicked is hysterical.

[Amaranth9]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 8:40pm

"She's a stage actress and her acting is very much 'people can see my expressions in the back of a 3000 seat theater' type acting."

I think that could be said of all the actresses who have played Elphaba on stage or other performers in theater who might be considered. They haven't been asked to perform differently so how would we know? Even the tour trailer which I think has examples of good (casting the spell, For Good) and bad (the catfight, Popular) was filmed in the context of a staged production. If one of them could tone it down it might work, rather than try to evoke something that isn't there. I would probably mine the various casts for someone with potential and audition Hollywood standards first, then look for an unknown and choose the best. 3-pronged search status.

But hey, maybe when it finally comes out and they make a DVD, there'll be some extra documentary/performance featuring some favorite Elphies and auditions. =)

[sayokay]

Posted: 3/22/09 at 9:04pm

But Spork, don't you agree that she grew a lot from her days in Wicked to Legally Blonde? I think she was definitely a much stronger performer in Legally Blonde once she matured a little voice wise. A TON of people tell me how horrible she was, which comes to a surprise because it makes me wonder why the obviously smart producers of Wicked would pick her to be the original Glinda standby.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/23/09 at 12:30am

She probably improved, but honestly how she gets cast in Broadway shows is a mystery to me.

Again, it's cool if you like her singing--I just don't.

[SJBr0cks]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 8:03pm

Ok personally I think that Stephanie J Block would be a good choice for Elphaba. She's been her before, can sing and belt amazingly and she isnt an unknown person so some butts should get in the seats. Brining up that point by itself Wicked is a really popular broadway so just by itself it should get many people to buy tickets so as long as they have a good cast more people will want to see it. I also like the idea for kristen bell being glinda and robin williams being the wizard. They are both great actors and would be perfect for the parts. JT not a bad idea but...considering if SJB does the part it would be sort of...wrong?...i dont know but thats just my opinon. Madonna i agree should so be Morrible.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 8:05pm

Ok personally I think that Stephanie J Block would be a good choice for Elphaba.

Really? I wasn't sure from your username.

[James885]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 9:59pm

Ok personally I think that Stephanie J Block would be a good choice for Elphaba. She's been her before, can sing and belt amazingly and she isnt an unknown person so some butts should get in the seats.

What makes you think she could get butts in seats? She and Megan Hilty and Allison Janney couldn't get butts in seats for 9 to 5. No one outside of theater fans and die-hard Wicked fans knows who Stephanie J. Block is. Plus she's too old to play Elphaba on film.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 10:27pm

Somebody famous.

And Anne Hathaway as Elphaba I never really could see, but I like her as Nessarose. I mean, it isn't that big of a role, but they could add a song(I am sure they will) and maybe one could be for Nessa.

[ILOHTFAHA (Aida Man)]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 10:30pm

Elphaba-Anne Hathaway
Glinda-Scarlett Johansson (don't blast me)
The Wizard-Richard Gere
Madame Morrible-Blythe Danner
Fiyero-Chuck Wicks (I think a little country twang could work for the character)
Nessarose-Emily Blunt
Boq-Justin Long
Doctor Dillamond-Simon Callow

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 1/5/10 at 10:54pm

Stephenie J. Block is DEFINITELY too old to play Elphaba on screen. The character is supposed to be around college age. You can get away with older on the stage when people are sitting so far away, but not on screen where everything is magnified. I don't think Anne Hathaway looks right for Elphaba, it's some quality I can't pinpoint. I agree that she would make a good Nessarose, though. I think it's obvious that the original cast is out of the question now. Kristin Chenoweth is kind of a name, but she's definitely too old to play college age on screen. Is Joel Grey a generally known name for Cabaret? If so, because the wizard has no specific age, he might be a good choice.

[StephanieJBlockFan]

Posted: 1/6/10 at 7:01pm

Dream Cast:
Elphaba: Stephanie J Block
Glinda: Brittany Snow
Fiyero: James Mardsen
Wizard: Kelsey Grammer
Madame Morrible: Cybill Shepard
Nessa: Anne Hathaway
Boq: Randy Harrison

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 1/6/10 at 7:31pm

Elphaba- Younger actress, relatively unknown, but acted in movies
Glinda- More of a known actress
Morrible- Aged actress, famous, ie. Angela, Julie, Judi, Maggie, etc.
Wizard- Older comedic actor
Boq- Unknown actor, similar to Elphaba
Fiyero- Dashing leading man
Nessa- Unknown, similar to Elphaba

I think that it should be similar to the way Hairspray was done: the young leads were mostly unknown, or new to acting professionally, aside from Amanda and Zac, a little, but having the adults in the cast be known, famous and popular actors and actresses.

PS, I can't believe I'm posting to a thread related to Wicked. Not saying I wouldn't see a movie, but I don't think it'd get any better reviews than the stage production, but it'd probably make a heap of a lot of money with the right casting, and the right marketing.

[imjustwicked]

Posted: 4/25/10 at 5:17pm

So I heard that this movie has already been made. called Witches of Oz I guess in 3D IMDB link is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1592287/
Looks as if none of the wicked characters are in it except Glinda. Some girl named Noel Thurman?? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0993700/
Looks kinda like Kristin Chenoweth. I looked her up found her website.