Landing the lead role in one of Hollywood’s biggest musicals might seem inevitable for a global pop superstar like Ariana Grande. After all, she already possessed the voice, the fanbase, and years of onstage experience. But when casting began for ‘Wicked,’ none of that guaranteed her a place in the audition room.
In fact, Grande believed her fame could work against her. The creative team wanted actors who could disappear into the beloved characters rather than bring their celebrity personas with them. Instead of expecting special treatment, Grande found herself fighting for the same opportunity as everyone else. Her determination eventually led to an audition process that tested far more than her singing ability.
Ariana Grande Refused To Let ‘Wicked’ Slip Away
Long before ‘Wicked’ reached the big screen, Grande had dreamed of playing Glinda. She first saw the Broadway musical as a child and spoke publicly for years about wanting the role.
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When Universal finally moved ahead with Jon M. Chu’s adaptation, she refused to assume her success in music would earn her an invitation. Speaking during Variety’s Actors on Actors conversation with Adam Sandler, Grande admitted she pushed hard just to secure an audition.
“I begged for an audition. I didn’t know if they would’ve even considered seeing me for it.” She also understood why she faced an uphill battle, explaining, “They didn’t want anyone that they knew to play these roles.” Rather than asking for special treatment, Grande embraced the traditional audition process.
She prepared material for both Glinda and Elphaba to demonstrate her range. “I actually sang both roles,” she recalled. She performed Glinda’s songs, ‘No One Mourns the Wicked’ and ‘Popular,’ before moving to Elphaba’s ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘The Wizard and I.’
She repeated the entire performance with a pianist before earning another callback. That session focused entirely on Glinda, with scenes and songs including ‘Thank Goodness.’ Instead of relying on her reputation, Grande advanced one audition at a time.
Three Callbacks Proved Grande Wanted The Role For The Right Reasons
The audition process became even more demanding after the initial callbacks. Grande returned for another round that included a lengthy chemistry read with two other actors. The session lasted nearly three hours as the filmmakers searched for the right dynamic between the future stars of ‘Wicked.’
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Despite the pressure, Grande left the audition with a sense of peace rather than anxiety. “I remember leaving feeling very grateful, and I felt a little buzzy,” she said. She believed she had done everything she could and accepted that the outcome might be out of her hands.
That mindset helped her approach the final stage without trying to force the result. “I think I’ve done the best I can do. And I feel very grateful for that. And I think that if it’s not mine, that’s okay. It’s not meant to be. And I know that’s just what I did,” Grande recalled.
The role ultimately became hers, proving that persistence mattered as much as talent. Grande’s performance as Glinda earned widespread praise, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress after the first ‘Wicked’ film.
Looking back, her journey to Oz began not with a contract or a phone call, but with a simple request for the chance to audition like everyone else.
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