Would Amanda Seyfried Have Been A Better Glinda in 'Wicked'?

The upcoming musical film Wicked has been on a historical international press tour, garnering excitement and buzz for its November 22nd release. This hasn't, however, been without controversy.

During an interview with The New York Times, Cynthia Erivo, who plays the role of Elphaba, shared her immense relief when learning that Ariana Grande landed the role of Glinda, noting that it "was not the two ladies that I was auditioning with."

This sparked immediate debate after Just Jared reported that Dove Cameron, Amanda Seyfried, Reneé Rapp, and Taylor Louderman auditioned for the role.

While the general consensus was that Grande is the perfect fit for the role, many are revisiting the conversation after the official audio for Grande's music "Popular" was released this week.

While some find Grande's take to be flawlessly executed, others noted there to be "a lack of emotion," and were disappointed by her take. "She sounds great, but it could've been so much better. There's such a lack of emotion and it sounds like she's whispering. What a shame," commented one user.

Many began comparing the rendition to Seyfried's, who was rumored to be Grande's runner-up. "She's kinda radiating more joy in 20 seconds than Ari," noted one user. "Amanda Seyfried makes everyone look like amateurs," commended another.

While the comparison and debate continue to circulate online, that hasn't stopped critics from raving about Grande's performance at Glinda following early screenings. The singer and actress may very well earn her first Oscar nomination for the film.

This would be a redemption from being seemingly snubbed by the 2025 Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year for her 2024 album, Eternal Sunshine. Grande's single "We Can't Be Friends" was also anticipated to make waves at the 2025 Grammy Awards, yet it came up empty-handed, receiving zero nominations despite its popularity.

Tags

Ariana Grande