“Popular… you’re gonna be popular!” Glinda from the hit movie Wicked might have been talking about more than just Elphaba in that line—Wicked has reached magically high popularity within the past two months of its release. Between winning the Golden Globe Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Honor, many critics have praised the movie for providing a fresh new take to the original musical version while also preserving a sense of authenticity.
One particularly outstanding performance was famous singer Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda the Good. Glinda has unique quirks; from the way she walks to the inflections in her speech, Grande strived to encapsulate it all. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Grande said, “I needed to disappear into this role.” To achieve this, Grande has been doing method acting, a practice where an actor embraces the role so much that they act like the character in everyday life. One of the most challenging changes she had to learn was recalibrating her singing style. Grande’s style became more operatic, a stark difference from her usual style she uses in her pop music.
Audiences have also complimented the synergy between Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. To capture the raw emotion from each scene, the actors sang live on set. “It was an immediate no-brainer,” said Grande in a behind-the-scenes video posted on the movie’s YouTube page. “We both were like, ‘Well, of course, we’re singing live.’” Singing in person made the actors feel more connected to the words they were singing, deepening the effect the music had on viewers.
Erivo’s portrayal of Elphaba, the “bad” witch, has also resonated with audiences. Elphaba is a green-skinned witch who is intelligent and strong-willed, but perpetually misunderstood and forced to become a social outcast. Erivo talked about her connection with Elphaba in an interview with Collider. “I understood what it felt like to be misunderstood, to not fit, and just something about who Elphaba was really sort of connected with me,” Erivo said. “I felt very safe with it.” This deeper-level connection helped the character of Elphaba come to life in front of audiences, resulting in Erivo receiving a nomination for an individual award at the Golden Globe Award ceremony.
Along with enchanting millions of fans worldwide, Claremont High students have also been bewitched by Wicked.
“I’d never even heard of Wicked, but when I went to watch it with my friends it was amazing,” freshman Clara Ranger said.
Freshman Emily Dhin also shares her thoughts about Grande’s stellar performance in the film. “Ariana really made the character of Glinda her own,” Dhin said. “I could not have imagined anyone else in that role. She nailed it.”
Wicked continues to enchant viewers worldwide, and the actors as well as the amount of thought put into the production process no doubt have a significant impact on that success. The blood, sweat, and tears of Grande, Erivo, and the rest of the cast and crew is what made Wicked truly magical—enchanting for all audiences worldwide.
