Amanda Seyfried Auditioned Numerous Times for ‘Wicked’ Before Losing Glinda Role to Ariana Grande

Amanda Seyfried recently shared how much effort she put into trying to land the role of Glinda in the Wicked movie. In a podcast interview, the actor revealed she auditioned six times for the part but eventually lost it to Ariana Grande.

Seyfried talked about her experience on the In The Envelope podcast. Even though she had a packed schedule, she made time to prepare and audition for the film. “I was busy. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work,” she said. “I worked my ass off for years and years and years on that music.”

The Wicked movie is a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical, which is based on a novel about the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West. The film was a box office success when it was released last year, earning over $100 million during its opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada alone.

Ariana Grande played Glinda in the film, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Both actresses were praised for their performances and even received Oscar nominations, Grande for Best Supporting Actress and Erivo for Best Actress. They are both coming back for the sequel, Wicked: For Good, which is expected in theaters this November.

Seyfried also brought up her audition process on another podcast, Happy Sad Confused, earlier this year. She said that she had a chance to sing with Cynthia Erivo, which meant a lot to her. “I do think everything happens for a reason,” she said. “I also got to sing with Cynthia, and that was a moment in itself.”

The second movie will continue Elphaba’s story as she faces new challenges, including being labeled a danger by powerful figures like the Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum, and Madame Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh.

The first Wicked film didn’t just do well in theaters. It also became a hit on streaming platforms and video-on-demand. The film made over $750 million globally and brought in a $230 million profit, according to Deadline Hollywood. That made it one of the top-earning films of 2024.

Critics and audiences responded positively. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie scored 88%, while Metacritic gave it a 73. Audience feedback was strong too, with an “A” grade from CinemaScore and high marks from PostTrak viewers.

In my opinion, it’s impressive how committed Amanda Seyfried was, even if it didn’t work out in the end. It’s never easy to give something your all and still not get the result you hoped for. But her attitude shows professionalism and grace. What do you think about Amanda’s story? Let us know in the comments below.

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