During the early stages of production on “Wicked,” a different lineup was envisioned with pop stars Lady Gaga and Shawn Mendes in the lead roles.
Originally slated to be directed by British filmmaker Stephen Daldry, the film took on a whole new dynamic before Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo eventually took over the roles to much acclaim. praise from critics and audiences alike.
On several occasions, Gaga sat down with the production team to share her interpretation of the character.
According to an insider who spoke to Page Six, “The two of them had meetings about the character and who she would become. [Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it failed.”
In Mendes’ case, although casting discussions began early on, he has not yet acted extensively, choosing to prioritize his music career for the time being.
Daldry’s original plans for the project were derailed when he left in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts. The reins then passed to Jon M. Chu, who took on the new role of director and brought a fresh perspective to the production.
Meanwhile, Gaga takes on the lead role in the sequel to the movie “Joker”.
The casting news comes amid Elle’s 2024 Women in Hollywood cover story, where Erivo recently shared insights about the honest and candid discussions she had with Grande before working together on “Wicked”.
She revealed: “I remember the first day we got together. That’s when [director] Home of Jon M. Chu and Stephen Schwartz [music and lyrics writer for production and movie] has ended.”
“He played some songs for us and we sang together for the first time,” she said. “It worked. It’s one of the most gratifying things to know that there’s someone as open and available as she is, and that means I can be too.”
She continued: “We also had a beautiful relationship off-screen.
Tags Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Wicked