Since the announcement in 2021, Ariana Grande’s casting received a lot of criticism online. The singer addressed the concerns about her playing Glinda in ‘Wicked’ the film in a new interview on the ‘Sentimental Men’ podcast.
She shared, “I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver, or why I would be wrong or whatever. Going off of ‘Side to Side,’ I probably would’ve said the same thing. I probably would’ve said, ‘Why the f*ck? Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this. Kill me.’ I would’ve said that — as a fan from the outside knowing of only ‘7 Rings,’ probably — I’d say, ‘Well, that’s bullshit.’ So, you know, I get it.”
Grande started her acting career with a Broadway debut in 2008’s ‘13: The Musical’ and later appeared on Nickelodeon’s ‘Victorious’ and ‘Sam & Cat.’ She spent special effort into playing Glinda, putting her music career on hold for the new film, because it was her dream role.
That’s why the actress was firm against the criticism directed at the change of her voice to a lighter and breathier tone in the adaptation last month. “There is a part of the world that isn’t familiar with what it takes to transform your voice. When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed,” she told Vanity Fair.
“There are definitely jokes that are made as well, but it’s always after being led with praise: ‘Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.’ And that’s just a part of the job, really. Tale as old as time being a woman in this industry. You are treated differently, and you are under a microscope in a way that some people aren’t.”
Co-star Cynthia Erivo also complained about the backlash ‘Wicked’ received in recent years. The last drop came when a fan edited the official movie poster to cover Erivo’s face and change her lip color for a more similar look to the original Broadway illustration.
The Elphaba actress blasted the edit on Instagram but later shared regret over her reaction in a chat with Entertainment Tonight: “I’m passionate about it and I know the fans are passionate about it and I think for me it was just like a human moment of wanting to protect little Elphaba and it was like a human moment. I probably should have called my friends, but it’s fine.”
‘Wicked’ will hit theaters on November 22.
