Erivo is gonna BODY Defying Gravity. And a woman of color playing a character who is discriminated against because of the color of her skin is going to spark a (hopefully healthy and mature but likely petty) conversation with fans about the significance of Elphaba’s journey.
I had this realization mid video, but I'm pretty sure Elphaba is technically older than Galinda? Cause, yes, she's a freshman during the show, but the only reason she's there is because her younger sister, Nessa, was going and their dad sent Elphaba to make sure she was okay. So Elphaba is probably a year or two older than Nessa and Galinda who are actual freshmen, even if Elphie is also a freshman
Am I the only one who’s interested to hear Ariana sing in a legit soprano style? I hope we get the chance to hear that and not her singing in the pop style the whole time!
The thing is, I'm pretty sure she won't :( We haven't ever heard her do it, and singers tend to be very protective of their voice and singing style. I'm not sure I see her taking on the huge task of getting her voice ready for that. She would also risk disappointing both her fans (who want to see her sing as she always does) and Broadway people (who will always prefer hearing a more seasoned legit soprano's take on Glinda). Finally, a movie like that costs a lot of money and the people making it don't cast people like Ariana to take her out of her comfort zone and ask her to change her sound. I'm pretty sure everyone involved will just want Ari to do Ari. Which is fine (I'm actually a huge fan)... but is not Glinda. So to sum it up, I'm pretty sure we will be hearing a lot of processed poppy falsetto (think Nicole Scherzinger singing Phantom) and riffy husky Ari tones in this movie. And I'm very worried lol
@@litcheerose Hmmm I see your point. But we can only hope. And side note: Nicole Scherzinger in the Phantom was not bad at all 😭😭. To me she sounded much better as a soprano than some Broadway actresses who actually played the role. But that’s just me 😅
@@litcheerose Ah okay, I see what you mean. And yes, I agree she didn’t have that typical classically-trained timbre of a soprano- that well rounded head voice
God no hell no disgusting blasphemy no I’ll cry someone Unalive his career pls Jesus Christ didn’t die for our sins or whatever for James Corden to be in every movie musical and make it deeply mediocre. I can’t no just hell no, it would ruin the cast.
@@allegra3500 ALLL PRAISE BLASPHEMY…..No IDIOTS We don’t praise blasphemy….. ALL UN PRAISE BLASPHEMY…… Doubble plus Un-praise blasphemy (I’m sorry this is from a show I’m in-)
I know Ryan played Fiyero before but I want to see someone of color play him. In the book (which is really far from the musical, tbh) he is described as “a dark skinned man with diamond tattoos”. I think that it would be great to see it draw from the source material for that.
I'm a huge Ariana fan, but I do have to agree that it's a bold choice to cast her. I mean, hell, the whole world worships at the feet of Beyoncé, but after watching The Lion King I can safely say that she wasn't the right choice for that role (because it wasn't Nala, it was Beyoncé). Now of course, like you already mentioned, Ariana does have a Broadway background and has acted in Victorious, Sam & Cat, Scream Queens, Hairspray etc., so she does have more experience, but I'm still interested to see if we can see her not be Ariana.
If you follow Ariana, you would know that she's so invested to this role. She's been reading all the wicked/wizard of oz books. And watching different versions of wicked songs. Plus, she's taking acting classes with a known acting coach. So I think, her hardwork will pay off. Talent + Hardwork is the formula, and she got them both.
I really feel you guys on the casting choice of Ariana. I love her, I’ve SEEN her in a play and she sounds fantastic and can act well... but all people are going to see is Ariana. That’s not her fault at all... but that’s also not what I want for this movie because the story and characters are so rich and many people seeing this for the first time will only be going because Ariana is in it or only see an international pop star... Wicked the movie deserves better than being “that musical movie Ariana Grande is in”. Also a side note: I think an October 2023 release would be amazing because it will be the 20th anniversary of the Broadway show too but that’s probably a squeeze 😅
I bet they're going to try for the Oct 2023 release, for the hype. I don't know that it will happen, and if it does, hopefully nothing gets rushed and ends up wonky. We'll see. I certainly hope it's sooner than the 2024-25 predictions!
What I haven’t seen enough people talking about is that Elphaba canonically IS older than a college freshman when she starts school at Shiz. Within the context of the musical Elphaba is at least a year older than Nessarose since their mother carried them in different pregnancies, thus being older than the rest of the Shiz freshman class at the time. In the Gregory Maguire book this is even more evident as it appears Elphaba was at least a toddler by the time Nessarose was born, further driving home the age difference. Since Elphaba was only allowed to go to college to watch over Nessa it makes sense that she is older than everyone else, and only adds to the fish out of water scenario.
It's because of how her character is portrayed. She is clearly portrayed as an extremely naive, child-like young adult when she first meets Glinda, and she slowly blossoms into a woman, complete with her first ever lover in "As Long As Your Mine". So many of those moments are clearly written for someone in their late teens or early 20s. Cynthia Erivo is 35 and looks 35-40.
As much as I would love to see Cynthia win an Oscar for best song, it won't happen because the Oscar is for best original song. So unless there's new music, Wicked's not winning there
Yeah, but they often add a new song in the film versions. Look at Les Mis, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and many that put a new one over the credits (probably just to try to get that Oscar) such as Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, and The Producers. Heck, Hairspray did both - one in the newest film for Zac Efron and one over the credits.
My top choice for Glinda wasn’t Ariana.. but I’m kinda excited because I’m sure Ariana is aware of people having doubts over the casting and I have a feeling that she’s gonna work extra hard to prove them wrong and put on a show , ofc other than herself being a massive fan and wanting to do it justice
I hope that a mobility aid user is cast as Nessa. I’ve always loved musical theater, but after a dance injury am a mobility aid user. Nessa has been my dream role since Middle School!
a while ago ariana shared on her story that there is an open casting for nessa, preferably someone who is actually a mobility aid user, so you do have a chance!
Okay commenting on this video after seeing the movie. I think Ariana did an amazing job with the role. She wasn’t as “ditzy” as I was expecting, and her acting at the end of the movie in the defying gravity scene was very good. The longing in both of their voices was more genuine than you get from the broadway wicked soundtrack. “I hope you’re happy” when they sing it in the second verse, had me in tears.
6:00 That’s a very good point and I do get why you guys have such a concern. One of the things I observed from Ariana as a fan is that she knows her place in different genres very well. She have blatantly said what she does in pop (e.g not enunciating or riffing all over the place) is a choice, and there’s multiple occasions we can see her switch up and adapt to the style or occasion (like when singing musical theatre her enunciation is not a problem or how when she’s singing with the OGs she would respect them and not put herself as the focal point both vocally and personally) that proved her versatility in this regard. So yea overall I’m hopeful. Loved the discussion!
I'm happy that they chose Ariana bc she has a musical theater background, it would've been more weird if they took just someone random. Also Cynthia is a goddess. I'm scared for one person to be in it hahahaha and I'm scared bc it's a movie and it's wicked... haha oooh I'm just watching Anna Kendrick sing musical things, she would be fun too but idk if she would do this or not
Okay love Ariana but like…people are like “she’s got a theatre background she’ll be great.” Or “she’s a Broadway legend” and yes she has a theatre background but she’s also only been in one Broadway show. ONE. Back in 2008, literally over 10 years ago. And only has two other theatre credits (I believe hairspray live is a TV credit since it was a filmed thing) I’m not as worried about the singing, just as long as she doesn’t make it overly poppy (Kinda like what they said in this video about not wanting to hear/see Ariana but wanting to see/hear Glinda.) people keep being like “her singing in Hairspray live sucked” okay, but like in that event they were singing live while running around and jumping and dancing so it’s not gonna be perfect, but it’s not a good comparison to knock her for this cause they’ll just be standing in a studio singing into studio mics and whatnot for this so vocals should be better in this than hairspray live.
@@anklebank I for one want live singing like in Les Miz. Nothing ruins a movie musical more than having to sit through 2.5 hours of overly produced music that I’m supposed to believe is coming out of the performers mouth. I hate when you can tell that they are prerecorded.
@@reader2012 les mis movie did flub some of the things about singing though! for instance anne hathaway didn't know the importance of NOT crying while singing so she p much sounded like she was gasping for air most of i dreamed a dream, and at the end of look down, when valjean tears his parole slip it's supposed to be timesynced with the beats (as in the musical) but because the actors can't really hear the music, it just came out really weird
I would have loved to see Amanda Seyfried as Glinda and Amber Riley as Elphaba. I hope both do get the chance to play those characters on Broadway someday.
I wish you both still uploaded cause I would have loved to hear your thoughts now that the movie is out. Sam was so close with the prediction of release for Part 1, and Ryan was close for Part 2, which is so interesting. Ariana completely dissappeared in the role of Glinda. Like, yes, she was a standout, but that's because her performance is so damn lovable and charming. I also love that they predicted how good Cynthia's I'm Not That Girl is.
I love Ariana Grande, huge fan of hers. And I do feel somewhat hesitant about this casting. I so hope that she comes in and proves us all wrong and she really encapsulates Glinda, but I also have fears that I will only see her, not the character. She’s definitely a hard working, super talented woman so we can at least trust that she will give her all to this role!
This is my exact thoughts you’ve articulated this so well! I feel like Ariana is going to be a great Act 1 Glinda and and Cynthia is going to be the PERFECT Act 2 Elphaba! I am just hoping that it manages to live up to the magic of the musical on screen
Ariana will also bring a new generation to Wicked. Wicked was the “it” show of my millennial generation like Hamilton is the “it” show now. I think she’ll bring younger fans to the show.
I also think it’s interesting that Glinda, the blonde, white, popular (hah) girl is always considered the ‘lead’ when in fact it’s the ostracized girl of colour who is really the lead
Hearing your comments with the benefit of being in the future, I really appreciate your objective and very fair analysis of the casting. It seems they've both knocked it out the park. Looking forward to seeing it here in the UK. Hope you both enjoy the film x
loved hearing your thoughts! after hearing cynthia sing at the wicked concert i'm 99% confident she'll knock this role outta the park. i'm leaning more towards positive with ariana but it's gonna be tough for her brand not to cast a shadow on her performance
It’s going to be a looooong wait for this movie to be released. I agree with Ryan that it will be out in 2025 as well just because they haven’t even casted everyone yet. I will say that I’m just happy that this movie will be made (eventually) with leads that come from the Broadway world in some capacity. I also think Ariana being Glinda will introduce people who know nothing about theater to that world simply because they’re a fan of her. I think that’s great and may gain new fans of musical theater! I just pray everyone involved making this movie hits a home run! Happy Saturday!
For me, as an actor myself, I never look at a big celebrity as just themselves in an acting role instead of the character unless they're doing a bad job. So, if Ari actually nails the performance there won't be a problem.
You know, the only thing I'm concerned about with Ariana Grande is her acting. When I listened to her singing The Wizard and I, I was really impressed because, although there was still an added combination of her usual style with the riffs and stuff, I felt like she really showed that she could sing Broadway. And I feel like Ariana gives off a Glinda vibe which is an important factor in me being able to see her as Glinda. Like if she had been casted as Elphaba like everyone expected, then no way she would have worked in the film. She has potential as Glinda, and if she can pull off the acting part then this film (from what we know of the casting and everything so far) will be incredible.
I'm curious if you've seen Ariana Grande's performance of "Still Hurting" from last year. It's still Ariana Grande performing, but she made me believe she was in pain and grieving.
I agree with everything you guys said! A few things that excite me about this casting though: 1. I am so happy they cast a WOC as Elphaba! I feel like black women are generally stronger vocalists for one, and also they understand the experience of being judged or looked down upon for their skin color better than any white women ever could 2. Cynthia Erivo totally has a sense of depth that I think is vital for Elphaba 3. I have gained so much respect for Ariana through seeing her as a coach this season on The Voice! It has shown me in a new way how much she invests emotionally in the performing arts, which I think further supports your theory that she is going to do her best to embody G(a)linda and contribute to the story. 4. I was so afraid this whole time that they were going to cast someone who doesn’t have the vocal range or versatility to pull off Glinda. They needed someone with the right bubbly energy who can portray a certain ditziness, while also being able to hit all of those high soprano notes more effortlessly than Amanda Seyfried… While I think Taylor Louderman would’ve been a better fit for the role, I trust that with the mentorship of Kristin Chenoweth, that Ariana will do a great job. 5. Overall, I am just thrilled that they cast people who are outstanding singers in a movie adaptation of a musical for once! I feel like the trend has been casting actors who can sing decently (or underwhelmingly *cough* Emma Watson *cough*) in roles like this, so it will be interesting to see the opposite.
@@antheiheiant I’m not saying that’s a good thing that WOC have that experience, nor that all WOC are treated as an “other.” I think we ought to do everything possible to establish a society where no one is looked down upon for something that superficial. But unfortunately, I hear from my African American friends stories of them *still* enduring prejudice that I find absolutely unfathomable.
@@antheiheiant But it’s true? WOC (and especially black women) have a really tough time in this country due to the color of their skin in comparison and it’s harmful to not recognize the depth of that either.
These are all totally valid concerns with the casting that i have thought of as well, but i think because her roots are in musical theater, she'll pull it off. I think she really is a talented enough actress that you'll forget that its her. Who knows though!
my first thought / con was the fact that I didn’t want ariana to riff all over g(a)linda but with her background I feel like she will snap into the character hopefully !!
you should here her voice on her vocal coach’s podcast. she says that she loves doing musical theatre singing but doesn’t use it for her music because it doesn’t fit pop/r&b. she even sang one of her songs in a broadway register to prove that it would sound weird.
I love this open take on this casting. I’m very excited, but I think we are all nervous because we have anticipated it for so long! I look forward to hearing your thoughts once the film comes out. I hope we are all pleasantly surprised.
Ironically how we’ve heard Cynthia sing Glinda’s song and Ariana sing The Wizard and I Also I’m interested to see what yall think about the Ariana Grande stans attacking Taylor Louderman for being bummed about not getting the part of Glinda 😭
Ariana Grande has some rude af fans, and Taylor deserves nothing but kindness. I get they have their fave, but sit down; neither of these ladies stand for hate and negativity.
I also think Ariana Grande is going to do a good job because she said that she is more of a Galinda during a press tour for Victorious, which means that she has been thinking about the part for that many years.
I'm 50/50 on Ariana, she is a powerhouse singer. But a few times when I've heard her sing songs from musicals, she has used a pop vocal on it. That being said, I have heard her also sing in a more musical theatre style, so I know she can do it. If she performs the role in a musical voice and not a pop voice, more power to her.
The cast's ages is tricky in Wicked, because of the time jump. I sure see the point against people in their 30s playing college students, but then you have the second act when they're older. People in their early twenties might be hard to buy as mature women dealing with all they have to deal with in the second act...
That's the whole point though. That's precisely why the second act is so tragic, because they ARE so young through so much of that descent into darkness. It's also why the whole first two thirds works, because Elphie is young and naive, and we see her grow from basically a childlike young adult into a young woman, completely with her first ever lover. That works if the actress is clearly young, but Cynthia Erivo is 35 and looks it.
@@if3359 It's easy to make someone look older. It's a LOT harder to make a 35-40 year old convincingly look like they're a naive young college freshman. See Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen or John Travolta/ONJ in Grease.
@@AStageForTheKingdom I understand that's problematic. But with younger actresses in the roles there have also been the problem of how they carry the second act sometimes. Danna Paola for example, who was 18. Youngest Elphaba. That was fitting for the first act but not the second, she felt too young.
@@if3359 Stage is completely different than screen. I agree on stage older is better, but on screen it should be the other way around. (Same reason Ben Plat works on stage, but not on screen.)
I’d be less concerned with Ariana with a different director. I loved Crazy Rich Asians, but I didn’t care for what he did with In The Heights. It seemed like he didn’t quite understand how to direct a musical, and was throwing in random dance for the sake of filling the screen and not because it added to every scene. I also think he lacked restraint when the kid saw them dancing on the side of the building. It was working as externalizing the inner feelings, but as soon as the kid saw them it changed the vibe. And if they are obviously playing pre recorded tracks over the performers like they did in Heights, particularly Vanessa walked into the pool, I might walk out. Wicked to me should have a darker tone, and not be super glossy, basically not the tone that Chu is known for. I’m very nervous with how this turns out because I’ve imagined this movie for 18 years now.
I worked on the Greatest Showman and we filmed in December to March of 2016-17 it came out around Christmas 17. Sooo I would think the post would be a little fasted then that... ya know if they do actually start in June. 🤷🏽♀️
Ya know what I just realized? Technically Ariana Grande has already sang Popular lol 😂 When I was in middleschool, she did a song with MIKA that sampled it. That was actually the first time I ever heard Popular, though I didn’t know at the time that it was sampled. Lol 😂 I just thought they wrote it haha
Ariana Grande is very respectful of musical theater, though. I can’t see her wanting to riff and yell all over the track because the role isn’t written that way
AGAIN I loveee you guys y’all are really funny and gosh Im happy to be able to watch y’all content!!! Y’all make my day ever time I watch y’all even though it’s only been like three day lol
I agree with you guys on pretty much everything, but I think we should give Ariana Grande the benefit of the doubt here! Let's not forget, she was very much a character actor back in the day who didn't eclipse Victoria Justice or Janett McCurdy on either of those shows! Not only that, but she's an EXTREMELY talented voice mimic! Lol remember all those singing impressions she did on UA-cam waaaaay back when? Lastly, her acting depth. Granted, she hasn't done a role as deep as 2nd act Glinda. But since her last gig aside from scream queens, she's had a shooting at one of her shows, lost her boyfriend to an overdose and has lived sooo much more life in general ya know? She's got some wells to tap is all I'm saying lol 🤷🏻♀️
Honestly, have you heard her sing no good deed in her medley? She could’ve been a great elphaba, or maybe just a young elphaba, but sythia is a great choice so no complaints. But yes I can see Eva as Nissa
Yes, she is amazing. I think she really could have fit the Elphaba role, and I think she would have seemed younger than Cynthia. Don’t get me wrong though, Cynthia is amazing and she will absolutely kill this role, but I do have to agree with them when they said her voice is very mature for this role.
At first hearing the news I was disappointed if I’m being honest. It’s not that I don’t like Ariana I do but like you both talked about I’m afraid I’ll just see her and not Glinda. What gives me hope is like you said she’s been a huge fan of it for years so hopefully that will shine through her portrayal of Glinda. With Cynthia I’ve only heard her sing a song from The Color Purple so I can’t say much on her. However I will say I was hoping that they would cast someone who’s been Glinda and Elphaba in the musical to be in the movie. I just hope now that they do that for the rest of the cast meaning cast people who have been in the musical although I know that’s very unlikely unfortunately. I just feel like there’s so many great actors and actresses that have played in the musical over the years that certainly could make it the best movie musical ever if they were in it too. I also hope they keep all of the songs from the musical in though I know that’s not likely.
I can see Ariana as Glinda way more than I saw her as Penny Pingleton. If she works on her acting and diction this could be good, though I definitely understand the fear of seeing blonde Ariana and not Glinda.
Why can't we get Elizabeth Gilles as Glenda - Great voice, very fascinating to watch as part of her television career - this actress should be used more in musicals.
I have no idea how accurate this is but after watching this, I googled when the movie is coming out and apparently it's coming out on Christmas day 2024. Sam's prediction was right on.
In order to get the Oscar for soundtrack, I believe you have to have written the song. It also has to be original to the film. Which is why song writers often write new songs for the film adaptation.
Something people aren’t talking about is the casting process… they wouldn’t have cast either of these two without a rigorous path first. I’m sure there were lots of acting/singing/chemistry reads for both of these people. I trust that the casting department here/Jon Chu will have done right by Wicked and I’m so excited to see what the rest of the casting is going to look like!! Cannot wait for this movie.
My biggest fear for Ariana is that she’ll sing too pop. Like yes she originated in theatre but even in hairspray live to me she sung very pop and not theatrically. It would very much take me out of it if the tones not right.
As long as James cordon isn’t the wizard I’m fine
LOL, he is everywhere! He’s inescapable! I won’t be surprised if he does get cast in the movie.
Lol yes
I almost Gave up on all musicals because of him.
😂
@@jeffpunzel7862 JD would like to speak to you, Heather.
Erivo is gonna BODY Defying Gravity. And a woman of color playing a character who is discriminated against because of the color of her skin is going to spark a (hopefully healthy and mature but likely petty) conversation with fans about the significance of Elphaba’s journey.
She deserves it. For she’s so talented
As someone who is a darker color, I think it is annoying when people say this no offense to you ofc but
How did u feel about defying gravity
Imagine Ryan and Cynthia singing As Long as You’re Mine…childdddd. Ryan McCartan for Fiyero
AHHHH AMAZING
I had this realization mid video, but I'm pretty sure Elphaba is technically older than Galinda? Cause, yes, she's a freshman during the show, but the only reason she's there is because her younger sister, Nessa, was going and their dad sent Elphaba to make sure she was okay. So Elphaba is probably a year or two older than Nessa and Galinda who are actual freshmen, even if Elphie is also a freshman
Am I the only one who’s interested to hear Ariana sing in a legit soprano style? I hope we get the chance to hear that and not her singing in the pop style the whole time!
Oh I’m readyyyyyyyy for that 🤩🤩
The thing is, I'm pretty sure she won't :(
We haven't ever heard her do it, and singers tend to be very protective of their voice and singing style. I'm not sure I see her taking on the huge task of getting her voice ready for that. She would also risk disappointing both her fans (who want to see her sing as she always does) and Broadway people (who will always prefer hearing a more seasoned legit soprano's take on Glinda). Finally, a movie like that costs a lot of money and the people making it don't cast people like Ariana to take her out of her comfort zone and ask her to change her sound. I'm pretty sure everyone involved will just want Ari to do Ari. Which is fine (I'm actually a huge fan)... but is not Glinda.
So to sum it up, I'm pretty sure we will be hearing a lot of processed poppy falsetto (think Nicole Scherzinger singing Phantom) and riffy husky Ari tones in this movie. And I'm very worried lol
@@litcheerose Hmmm I see your point. But we can only hope.
And side note: Nicole Scherzinger in the Phantom was not bad at all 😭😭. To me she sounded much better as a soprano than some Broadway actresses who actually played the role. But that’s just me 😅
@@JDTheLegend Oh, I didn't actually think she was bad at all, just that it's a different style than your typical legit soprano technique.
@@litcheerose Ah okay, I see what you mean. And yes, I agree she didn’t have that typical classically-trained timbre of a soprano- that well rounded head voice
I’m interested to hear your thoughts on James Corden being cast as Madame Morrible
lol
God no hell no disgusting blasphemy no I’ll cry someone Unalive his career pls Jesus Christ didn’t die for our sins or whatever for James Corden to be in every movie musical and make it deeply mediocre. I can’t no just hell no, it would ruin the cast.
@Jesse Williams It's not real, because James Corden was cast as Fiyero❤️
Finally someone with some sense 🙄, I think he should have played elphaba and glinda but whatever 😔
@@allegra3500 ALLL PRAISE BLASPHEMY…..No IDIOTS We don’t praise blasphemy….. ALL UN PRAISE BLASPHEMY…… Doubble plus Un-praise blasphemy (I’m sorry this is from a show I’m in-)
Ryan McCartan for Fiyero!!!!
(Also, I literally just watched a slime of Ryan's cast of Wicked, and it was AMAZING)
omg what is the slime tutorial called
@@treatpeoplewithkindness3001 It's not on UA-cam
@@elvenfangirl817 awww sad
@@treatpeoplewithkindness3001 just look up Ryan Mccartan Wicked
@@ilovetaylorswift628 thanks 😘
I know Ryan played Fiyero before but I want to see someone of color play him. In the book (which is really far from the musical, tbh) he is described as “a dark skinned man with diamond tattoos”. I think that it would be great to see it draw from the source material for that.
Maybe Jordan Fisher 👀
@@sarahwheat7094 YESSSSS
@@sarahwheat7094 I seem to remember Jordan Fisher being involved in a different upcoming movie musical but I could be completely wrong
@@Zaccybone oh cool! Do you know which one?
Gods yes. We need a dark skinned man with diamond tattoos. 😍😍😍
Ryan: I’m just such a huge fan of wicked, also Ryan: was literally in wicked on broadway
i SCREAMED when i saw that cynthia was cast. she is going to absolutely kill it.
I'm a huge Ariana fan, but I do have to agree that it's a bold choice to cast her. I mean, hell, the whole world worships at the feet of Beyoncé, but after watching The Lion King I can safely say that she wasn't the right choice for that role (because it wasn't Nala, it was Beyoncé). Now of course, like you already mentioned, Ariana does have a Broadway background and has acted in Victorious, Sam & Cat, Scream Queens, Hairspray etc., so she does have more experience, but I'm still interested to see if we can see her not be Ariana.
If you follow Ariana, you would know that she's so invested to this role. She's been reading all the wicked/wizard of oz books. And watching different versions of wicked songs. Plus, she's taking acting classes with a known acting coach. So I think, her hardwork will pay off. Talent + Hardwork is the formula, and she got them both.
Sam was SPOT ON with the release date (before it got moved)!
I really feel you guys on the casting choice of Ariana. I love her, I’ve SEEN her in a play and she sounds fantastic and can act well... but all people are going to see is Ariana. That’s not her fault at all... but that’s also not what I want for this movie because the story and characters are so rich and many people seeing this for the first time will only be going because Ariana is in it or only see an international pop star... Wicked the movie deserves better than being “that musical movie Ariana Grande is in”. Also a side note: I think an October 2023 release would be amazing because it will be the 20th anniversary of the Broadway show too but that’s probably a squeeze 😅
I bet they're going to try for the Oct 2023 release, for the hype. I don't know that it will happen, and if it does, hopefully nothing gets rushed and ends up wonky. We'll see. I certainly hope it's sooner than the 2024-25 predictions!
But Lady Gaga did a Star is Born and it went well for her. Of course when I see Ariana I don't think pop star I think Cat from Victorious.
I wanna hear your thoughts now after watching the movie
same
you were ✨ wrong ✨ lol
When Ryan said “riffing and yuhhing” I LOST IT😭👏🏾
What I haven’t seen enough people talking about is that Elphaba canonically IS older than a college freshman when she starts school at Shiz. Within the context of the musical Elphaba is at least a year older than Nessarose since their mother carried them in different pregnancies, thus being older than the rest of the Shiz freshman class at the time. In the Gregory Maguire book this is even more evident as it appears Elphaba was at least a toddler by the time Nessarose was born, further driving home the age difference. Since Elphaba was only allowed to go to college to watch over Nessa it makes sense that she is older than everyone else, and only adds to the fish out of water scenario.
It's because of how her character is portrayed. She is clearly portrayed as an extremely naive, child-like young adult when she first meets Glinda, and she slowly blossoms into a woman, complete with her first ever lover in "As Long As Your Mine". So many of those moments are clearly written for someone in their late teens or early 20s. Cynthia Erivo is 35 and looks 35-40.
i’m so so excited!! i think they’re both incredibly talented & combined with john chu’s directing, this movie is gonna be so good :)
As much as I would love to see Cynthia win an Oscar for best song, it won't happen because the Oscar is for best original song. So unless there's new music, Wicked's not winning there
Came here to say this
Yeah, but they often add a new song in the film versions. Look at Les Mis, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and many that put a new one over the credits (probably just to try to get that Oscar) such as Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, and The Producers. Heck, Hairspray did both - one in the newest film for Zac Efron and one over the credits.
They’re definitely going to do that to try and win an Oscar though.
The Oscar for Original Song actually goes to the composers only. Gaga has one for writing Shallow, not just perform.
@@danue Another reason she won't get an Oscar for this movie
I would love to have Cynthia and Ariana switch roles for maybe a For Good end credits version or deluxe soundtrack version!
My top choice for Glinda wasn’t Ariana.. but I’m kinda excited because I’m sure Ariana is aware of people having doubts over the casting and I have a feeling that she’s gonna work extra hard to prove them wrong and put on a show , ofc other than herself being a massive fan and wanting to do it justice
I hope that a mobility aid user is cast as Nessa. I’ve always loved musical theater, but after a dance injury am a mobility aid user. Nessa has been my dream role since Middle School!
a while ago ariana shared on her story that there is an open casting for nessa, preferably someone who is actually a mobility aid user, so you do have a chance!
in the musical, elphaba does a spell to make nessa-rose be able to stand and walk
@@ilovetaylorswift628 Yeah, I know. Some people who use wheelchairs (myself included) can stand and walk just not all the time.
your hope came true :)
@@olaibrahim2843 I kinda forgot about the movie, then I was so excited to see your comment! That’s awesome!
Okay commenting on this video after seeing the movie. I think Ariana did an amazing job with the role. She wasn’t as “ditzy” as I was expecting, and her acting at the end of the movie in the defying gravity scene was very good. The longing in both of their voices was more genuine than you get from the broadway wicked soundtrack. “I hope you’re happy” when they sing it in the second verse, had me in tears.
6:00 That’s a very good point and I do get why you guys have such a concern. One of the things I observed from Ariana as a fan is that she knows her place in different genres very well. She have blatantly said what she does in pop (e.g not enunciating or riffing all over the place) is a choice, and there’s multiple occasions we can see her switch up and adapt to the style or occasion (like when singing musical theatre her enunciation is not a problem or how when she’s singing with the OGs she would respect them and not put herself as the focal point both vocally and personally) that proved her versatility in this regard. So yea overall I’m hopeful. Loved the discussion!
Not Sam being a psychic and being 100% correct about the release day
I'm happy that they chose Ariana bc she has a musical theater background, it would've been more weird if they took just someone random. Also Cynthia is a goddess. I'm scared for one person to be in it hahahaha and I'm scared bc it's a movie and it's wicked... haha oooh I'm just watching Anna Kendrick sing musical things, she would be fun too but idk if she would do this or not
Okay love Ariana but like…people are like “she’s got a theatre background she’ll be great.” Or “she’s a Broadway legend” and yes she has a theatre background but she’s also only been in one Broadway show. ONE. Back in 2008, literally over 10 years ago. And only has two other theatre credits (I believe hairspray live is a TV credit since it was a filmed thing) I’m not as worried about the singing, just as long as she doesn’t make it overly poppy (Kinda like what they said in this video about not wanting to hear/see Ariana but wanting to see/hear Glinda.) people keep being like “her singing in Hairspray live sucked” okay, but like in that event they were singing live while running around and jumping and dancing so it’s not gonna be perfect, but it’s not a good comparison to knock her for this cause they’ll just be standing in a studio singing into studio mics and whatnot for this so vocals should be better in this than hairspray live.
@@gabrielles6451 unless they pull a les mis movie and do live-singing
@@anklebank oo I really hope they don’t do that.
@@anklebank I for one want live singing like in Les Miz. Nothing ruins a movie musical more than having to sit through 2.5 hours of overly produced music that I’m supposed to believe is coming out of the performers mouth. I hate when you can tell that they are prerecorded.
@@reader2012 les mis movie did flub some of the things about singing though! for instance anne hathaway didn't know the importance of NOT crying while singing so she p much sounded like she was gasping for air most of i dreamed a dream, and at the end of look down, when valjean tears his parole slip it's supposed to be timesynced with the beats (as in the musical) but because the actors can't really hear the music, it just came out really weird
I would have loved to see Amanda Seyfried as Glinda and Amber Riley as Elphaba. I hope both do get the chance to play those characters on Broadway someday.
cynthia will probably be like 50 by the time fiyero is casted 😭😭
SKJFJGJRJGJG I mean you aren't wrong
I wish you both still uploaded cause I would have loved to hear your thoughts now that the movie is out. Sam was so close with the prediction of release for Part 1, and Ryan was close for Part 2, which is so interesting. Ariana completely dissappeared in the role of Glinda. Like, yes, she was a standout, but that's because her performance is so damn lovable and charming. I also love that they predicted how good Cynthia's I'm Not That Girl is.
Sam posted about it on her own channel.
I love Ariana Grande, huge fan of hers. And I do feel somewhat hesitant about this casting. I so hope that she comes in and proves us all wrong and she really encapsulates Glinda, but I also have fears that I will only see her, not the character. She’s definitely a hard working, super talented woman so we can at least trust that she will give her all to this role!
This is my exact thoughts you’ve articulated this so well! I feel like Ariana is going to be a great Act 1 Glinda and and Cynthia is going to be the PERFECT Act 2 Elphaba! I am just hoping that it manages to live up to the magic of the musical on screen
Ariana will also bring a new generation to Wicked. Wicked was the “it” show of my millennial generation like Hamilton is the “it” show now. I think she’ll bring younger fans to the show.
I also think it’s interesting that Glinda, the blonde, white, popular (hah) girl is always considered the ‘lead’ when in fact it’s the ostracized girl of colour who is really the lead
Hearing your comments with the benefit of being in the future, I really appreciate your objective and very fair analysis of the casting. It seems they've both knocked it out the park. Looking forward to seeing it here in the UK. Hope you both enjoy the film x
Just shows how wrong these two were with their concerns about Ariana Grande.
a bonus sam and ryan video on my birthday??? and it's wicked-related???? it's the best birthday gift i love you guys
Yay! Happy Birthday babe🥰🥳
HOLY SHIT I can’t believe she was right about when this movie came out!!!!
As long as Ryan is cast as fierro, everything will be fine
loved hearing your thoughts! after hearing cynthia sing at the wicked concert i'm 99% confident she'll knock this role outta the park. i'm leaning more towards positive with ariana but it's gonna be tough for her brand not to cast a shadow on her performance
Ariana Grande LITERALLY started on broadway
It’s going to be a looooong wait for this movie to be released. I agree with Ryan that it will be out in 2025 as well just because they haven’t even casted everyone yet. I will say that I’m just happy that this movie will be made (eventually) with leads that come from the Broadway world in some capacity. I also think Ariana being Glinda will introduce people who know nothing about theater to that world simply because they’re a fan of her. I think that’s great and may gain new fans of musical theater! I just pray everyone involved making this movie hits a home run! Happy Saturday!
For me, as an actor myself, I never look at a big celebrity as just themselves in an acting role instead of the character unless they're doing a bad job. So, if Ari actually nails the performance there won't be a problem.
Glinda is such a deeply complex character and people tend to forget or oversee that.
You know, the only thing I'm concerned about with Ariana Grande is her acting. When I listened to her singing The Wizard and I, I was really impressed because, although there was still an added combination of her usual style with the riffs and stuff, I felt like she really showed that she could sing Broadway. And I feel like Ariana gives off a Glinda vibe which is an important factor in me being able to see her as Glinda. Like if she had been casted as Elphaba like everyone expected, then no way she would have worked in the film. She has potential as Glinda, and if she can pull off the acting part then this film (from what we know of the casting and everything so far) will be incredible.
Yes!!! I hope she does great in the movie.
I'm curious if you've seen Ariana Grande's performance of "Still Hurting" from last year. It's still Ariana Grande performing, but she made me believe she was in pain and grieving.
@King Rodriguez Spoiler alert - she won’t
@@julianadams5311 spoiler alert - you don’t know that
@@julianadams5311 funny seeing this after shes been proven to be slaying on set
I agree with everything you guys said! A few things that excite me about this casting though:
1. I am so happy they cast a WOC as Elphaba! I feel like black women are generally stronger vocalists for one, and also they understand the experience of being judged or looked down upon for their skin color better than any white women ever could
2. Cynthia Erivo totally has a sense of depth that I think is vital for Elphaba
3. I have gained so much respect for Ariana through seeing her as a coach this season on The Voice! It has shown me in a new way how much she invests emotionally in the performing arts, which I think further supports your theory that she is going to do her best to embody G(a)linda and contribute to the story.
4. I was so afraid this whole time that they were going to cast someone who doesn’t have the vocal range or versatility to pull off Glinda. They needed someone with the right bubbly energy who can portray a certain ditziness, while also being able to hit all of those high soprano notes more effortlessly than Amanda Seyfried… While I think Taylor Louderman would’ve been a better fit for the role, I trust that with the mentorship of Kristin Chenoweth, that Ariana will do a great job.
5. Overall, I am just thrilled that they cast people who are outstanding singers in a movie adaptation of a musical for once! I feel like the trend has been casting actors who can sing decently (or underwhelmingly *cough* Emma Watson *cough*) in roles like this, so it will be interesting to see the opposite.
What a incredibly harmful and wrong thing to say in 1.. 🙄
@@antheiheiant I’m not saying that’s a good thing that WOC have that experience, nor that all WOC are treated as an “other.” I think we ought to do everything possible to establish a society where no one is looked down upon for something that superficial. But unfortunately, I hear from my African American friends stories of them *still* enduring prejudice that I find absolutely unfathomable.
@@antheiheiant But it’s true? WOC (and especially black women) have a really tough time in this country due to the color of their skin in comparison and it’s harmful to not recognize the depth of that either.
Cynthia Erivo is an actress Ariana Grande is a brand
Ryan, I couldn't have said it better myself
Everyone is a brand
These are all totally valid concerns with the casting that i have thought of as well, but i think because her roots are in musical theater, she'll pull it off. I think she really is a talented enough actress that you'll forget that its her. Who knows though!
my first thought / con was the fact that I didn’t want ariana to riff all over g(a)linda but with her background I feel like she will snap into the character hopefully !!
you should here her voice on her vocal coach’s podcast. she says that she loves doing musical theatre singing but doesn’t use it for her music because it doesn’t fit pop/r&b. she even sang one of her songs in a broadway register to prove that it would sound weird.
Ok, Elphaba Thropp isn’t the same age as Galinda. She’s stayed home taking care of Nessa until Nessa was of age for Shiz. She about 4 years older.
Y’all let’s all pray that James cordon doesn’t play the wizard
I was waiting for y’all’s reaction the second I saw the cast reveal 👀
I love this open take on this casting. I’m very excited, but I think we are all nervous because we have anticipated it for so long! I look forward to hearing your thoughts once the film comes out. I hope we are all pleasantly surprised.
Watching this after they’ve announced the release date and Wow! Sam was soooooo close!
20:04 and she was EXACTLY RIGHT (well for part one at least)
I would love to see a Black Fiyero, like Jordan Fisher or Joshua Henry maybe.
I was just thinking this!
Jordan Fisher looks WAY too young to go with Cynthia Erivo.
Yes Joshua Henry!!
Ironically how we’ve heard Cynthia sing Glinda’s song and Ariana sing The Wizard and I
Also I’m interested to see what yall think about the Ariana Grande stans attacking Taylor Louderman for being bummed about not getting the part of Glinda 😭
Glad I'm somebody brought this up😭Taylors IG story wasnt even harmful honestly...
Ariana Grande has some rude af fans, and Taylor deserves nothing but kindness. I get they have their fave, but sit down; neither of these ladies stand for hate and negativity.
HOW DARE THEY ATTACK SUCH AN ICON
Wow, how idiotic for them to attack AN ACTUAL BROADWAY ACTRESSES, but hey, it is Ariana fans, so I’m not surprised
@@julianadams5311 ariana grande is also a REAL broadway actress since she was 15 years old.
I am so excited to hear Cynthia and Ariana duet "What Is This Feeling?" cuz that will be so goooood
I also think Ariana Grande is going to do a good job because she said that she is more of a Galinda during a press tour for Victorious, which means that she has been thinking about the part for that many years.
I'm 50/50 on Ariana, she is a powerhouse singer. But a few times when I've heard her sing songs from musicals, she has used a pop vocal on it. That being said, I have heard her also sing in a more musical theatre style, so I know she can do it. If she performs the role in a musical voice and not a pop voice, more power to her.
The cast's ages is tricky in Wicked, because of the time jump. I sure see the point against people in their 30s playing college students, but then you have the second act when they're older. People in their early twenties might be hard to buy as mature women dealing with all they have to deal with in the second act...
That's the whole point though. That's precisely why the second act is so tragic, because they ARE so young through so much of that descent into darkness. It's also why the whole first two thirds works, because Elphie is young and naive, and we see her grow from basically a childlike young adult into a young woman, completely with her first ever lover. That works if the actress is clearly young, but Cynthia Erivo is 35 and looks it.
@@AStageForTheKingdom the second act happens around the time Dorothy gets to Oz. The witches are clearly older at that time.
@@if3359 It's easy to make someone look older. It's a LOT harder to make a 35-40 year old convincingly look like they're a naive young college freshman. See Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen or John Travolta/ONJ in Grease.
@@AStageForTheKingdom I understand that's problematic. But with younger actresses in the roles there have also been the problem of how they carry the second act sometimes. Danna Paola for example, who was 18. Youngest Elphaba. That was fitting for the first act but not the second, she felt too young.
@@if3359 Stage is completely different than screen. I agree on stage older is better, but on screen it should be the other way around. (Same reason Ben Plat works on stage, but not on screen.)
With Hairspray, Ariana didn’t play Penny, she was Ariana with a lollipop.
Exactly
me watching this in june 2022 and the current initial release date is christmas day 2024. sam are you a psychic?
Wow I love this video and you guys! You just randomly popped up in my recommendations - subscribed !!
LOL sam was spot on with christmas day 2024
I’d be less concerned with Ariana with a different director. I loved Crazy Rich Asians, but I didn’t care for what he did with In The Heights. It seemed like he didn’t quite understand how to direct a musical, and was throwing in random dance for the sake of filling the screen and not because it added to every scene. I also think he lacked restraint when the kid saw them dancing on the side of the building. It was working as externalizing the inner feelings, but as soon as the kid saw them it changed the vibe. And if they are obviously playing pre recorded tracks over the performers like they did in Heights, particularly Vanessa walked into the pool, I might walk out. Wicked to me should have a darker tone, and not be super glossy, basically not the tone that Chu is known for. I’m very nervous with how this turns out because I’ve imagined this movie for 18 years now.
You're concerned with Mr. Chu as director? I have just four words for you: Jem and the Holograms. I rest my case.
But in the heights was an objectively good adaptation, and it was extremely well received.
Time traveler here, just saw the wicked movie yesterday and it was SO GOOD
Jon Chu is a Genius I am so excited for this movie oml
YES I've been waiting for this one!!
lol I was waiting for this, and I agree with everything they said. I love both Ariana and Cynthia and I can't wait for the movie!
I worked on the Greatest Showman and we filmed in December to March of 2016-17 it came out around Christmas 17. Sooo I would think the post would be a little fasted then that... ya know if they do actually start in June. 🤷🏽♀️
Ya know what I just realized?
Technically Ariana Grande has already sang Popular lol 😂
When I was in middleschool, she did a song with MIKA that sampled it.
That was actually the first time I ever heard Popular, though I didn’t know at the time that it was sampled. Lol 😂 I just thought they wrote it haha
Ariana Grande is very respectful of musical theater, though. I can’t see her wanting to riff and yell all over the track because the role isn’t written that way
The ending of Wicked was a huge plot twist
I really wanna see that in this film
Why am I so excited to see Ariana do what is this feeling, it can go either way soo
AGAIN I loveee you guys y’all are really funny and gosh Im happy to be able to watch y’all content!!! Y’all make my day ever time I watch y’all even though it’s only been like three day lol
I’ll literally been waiting for this
Ariana can do amazing singing impersonations. I think she will bring her A game and do it justice.
I agree with you guys on pretty much everything, but I think we should give Ariana Grande the benefit of the doubt here! Let's not forget, she was very much a character actor back in the day who didn't eclipse Victoria Justice or Janett McCurdy on either of those shows! Not only that, but she's an EXTREMELY talented voice mimic! Lol remember all those singing impressions she did on UA-cam waaaaay back when? Lastly, her acting depth. Granted, she hasn't done a role as deep as 2nd act Glinda. But since her last gig aside from scream queens, she's had a shooting at one of her shows, lost her boyfriend to an overdose and has lived sooo much more life in general ya know? She's got some wells to tap is all I'm saying lol 🤷🏻♀️
Okay but Cynthia Erivo in "I Can't Sing" did play a young character and acted it amazingly. I have no doubt that she'll be able to play young.
Was waiting for this video 😌
Lmao I love how everyone switched up after the trailer because they did SO WELL
Wow she called Thanksgiving 2024 exactly
Was waiting for this video
I said it once, and I’ll say it again. I think Eva Noblezada should play Nessa!
No. She will swallow the other lead and it's not how it was supposed to be.
Honestly, have you heard her sing no good deed in her medley? She could’ve been a great elphaba, or maybe just a young elphaba, but sythia is a great choice so no complaints. But yes I can see Eva as Nissa
Yes, she is amazing. I think she really could have fit the Elphaba role, and I think she would have seemed younger than Cynthia. Don’t get me wrong though, Cynthia is amazing and she will absolutely kill this role, but I do have to agree with them when they said her voice is very mature for this role.
Are you guys gonna do another video when the rest of the cast is announced?
I was really hoping eva noblezada got the part of elphaba and Ive seen that color purple tonys performance at least a 100 times
If Cynthia has to win an Oscar, she has to sing an original song.
ok so there’s three options for james cordon: the wizard, dr dillamond, or madam morrible. it’s inevitable. just go with it at this point.
As someone who works in theatre I had literally no idea the movie was getting made.
At first hearing the news I was disappointed if I’m being honest. It’s not that I don’t like Ariana I do but like you both talked about I’m afraid I’ll just see her and not Glinda. What gives me hope is like you said she’s been a huge fan of it for years so hopefully that will shine through her portrayal of Glinda. With Cynthia I’ve only heard her sing a song from The Color Purple so I can’t say much on her. However I will say I was hoping that they would cast someone who’s been Glinda and Elphaba in the musical to be in the movie. I just hope now that they do that for the rest of the cast meaning cast people who have been in the musical although I know that’s very unlikely unfortunately. I just feel like there’s so many great actors and actresses that have played in the musical over the years that certainly could make it the best movie musical ever if they were in it too. I also hope they keep all of the songs from the musical in though I know that’s not likely.
Jump on UA-cam and find about about a hundred songs from different musicals. There is no one better or more prepared.
Yeah I am so excited. Because I feel like since they now have those two roles cast maybe that’ll get the ball rolling sooner than later so to speak.
I can see Ariana as Glinda way more than I saw her as Penny Pingleton. If she works on her acting and diction this could be good, though I definitely understand the fear of seeing blonde Ariana and not Glinda.
Why can't we get Elizabeth Gilles as Glenda - Great voice, very fascinating to watch as part of her television career - this actress should be used more in musicals.
I’d be interested to see her as Nessa.
I have no idea how accurate this is but after watching this, I googled when the movie is coming out and apparently it's coming out on Christmas day 2024. Sam's prediction was right on.
In order to get the Oscar for soundtrack, I believe you have to have written the song. It also has to be original to the film. Which is why song writers often write new songs for the film adaptation.
Me watchi g rhis in 2024 realizing Sam got the date exactly right😂
looking back on this video now do you agree on your opinions of ariana grande of glinda?
*****CAST (as opposed to casted). But I agree with everything y’all said.
The two Wicked films will premiere on “successive Christmas holidays beginning December 2024,” according to Chu.
Something people aren’t talking about is the casting process… they wouldn’t have cast either of these two without a rigorous path first. I’m sure there were lots of acting/singing/chemistry reads for both of these people. I trust that the casting department here/Jon Chu will have done right by Wicked and I’m so excited to see what the rest of the casting is going to look like!! Cannot wait for this movie.
My biggest fear for Ariana is that she’ll sing too pop. Like yes she originated in theatre but even in hairspray live to me she sung very pop and not theatrically. It would very much take me out of it if the tones not right.
Ariana grew up doing musical theatre. I think she’ll be just fine x