Tony-winning actress-singer Kristin Chenoweth originated the role of Glinda the Good in the 2003 Broadway musical Wicked.
More than 20 years after the show opened at the Gershwin Theatre in New York, director Jon M. Chu has turned the beloved musical into a mega-movie musical, with Ariana Grande tasked to play Glinda.
Speaking to Us Weekly, Chenoweth shared her three-word advice to Grande after she approached her after being cast in the movie.
"[I told her], 'Do you. Do your Glinda. I did mine. Now it's your turn,'" Chenoweth told the outlet. "And I hope that gave her the freedom."
Grande has since publicly confessed that her "dream" was to play Glinda. Chenoweth, who has known Grande since she was young, revealed to the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen how she met the popstar back then.
"Her mom and grandma brought her back, and she sang a little bit of 'Popular,'" Chenoweth shared, as she recalled Grande watching one of her shows on Broadway when she was still doing Wicked. "And I thought, 'Well you're pretty good.'"
Speaking to Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the Broadway legend revealed how happy she was that Grande is playing the role she once played for so long.
"She said, 'I want to pay homage to you but I'm scared. I want to make you proud.' I go, 'Well you've already made me proud, so it doesn't matter. Check, done that.'" Chenoweth affirmed the Grammy-winning singer. "What I want to encourage you to do is make Glinda your Glinda. Sure, you can tip your hat for me if you want. But, really I just want you to do you,.
In a behind-the-scenes reel of Wicked, the Grammy-winning singer was moved to tears when Chu revealed to Grande that she was cast as Glinda in the film.
"Oh my god, thank you. I love her so much. I'm gonna take such good care of her. Thank you so much," Grande promised.
Grande will play Glinda the Good in Wicked, while Tony Award-winning singer-actress Cynthia Erivo will play Elphaba, a role for which Idina Menzel won a Tony in 2004. Wicked: Part 1 will be released on Nov. 27, 2024.
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