Ariana Grande absolutely nailed her performance of one fan-favorite Wicked song five-and-a-half years ago, but unfortunately, she won’t be singing it in the upcoming Wicked movie. Based on the iconic Broadway musical of the same name, the Wicked movie will tell the classic tale of two polar opposite witches who form an unlikely friendship in the Land of Oz. The star-studded ensemble cast of the Wicked movie includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in the lead roles, as well as Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, and more.

The Wicked movie was split into two parts to avoid cutting musical numbers and characters, meaning fans can expect most of the songs from the Wicked musical to be included in the movie in addition to new songs written by the musical’s original composer, Stephen Schwartz. The Wicked trailer already provided a sneak peek of Erivo’s rendition of Elphaba’s signature song “Defying Gravity,” but Grande’s musical stylings as Glinda have yet to be heard. However, Grande did perform one original Wicked song in full five-and-a-half years ago that her character sadly won’t be singing in either Wicked movie.

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Ariana Grande Performed “The Wizard & I” For Wicked’s 15th Anniversary

The Anniversary Was Commemorated With A TV Special Titled “A Very Wicked Halloween”

On October 29, 2018, a TV special aired on NBC called A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway. As the title suggests, the special celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Wicked musical’s debut on Broadway. A Very Wicked Halloween was filmed in front of a live studio audience at the Marquis Theatre in New York and hosted by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. In addition to Menzel and Chenoweth, the special featured performances by Adam Lambert, Ledisi, Pentatonix, and, as a sort of foreshadowing, Ariana Grande.

Decked out in a Wicked green outfit with sparkly nails, eye shadow, and lipstick to match, Grande performed a stunning rendition of “The Wizard & I” on A Very Wicked Halloween. With her powerhouse vocals and seasoned stage presence, Grande absolutely knocked it out of the park, receiving roaring applause and high praise for her performance. Unfortunately, her character Glinda does not sing any part of this song in Wicked, meaning Grande won’t have the opportunity to recreate this flawless performance of “The Wizard & I” on the big screen in the Wicked movie.

Who Will Perform “The Wizard & I” In The Wicked Movie

“The Wizard & I” Is Performed By Elphaba & Madame Morrible In Wicked

Grande may not be singing “The Wizard & I” in the Wicked movie, but the beloved musical number is still in good hands. In the stage musical, the song is primarily a solo number performed by Elphaba, featuring an introduction by Madame Morrible. In terms of the film adaptation, “The Wizard & I” will be performed by Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in the Wicked movie. “The Wizard & I” appears toward the beginning of Wicked, serving as the fourth song in Act I and Elphaba’s very first musical number.

The purpose of this song is to introduce viewers to Elphaba as a character and the struggles she has faced being different. In the intro, Madame Morrible praises Elphaba for her talents and promises to arrange a meeting with the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum in the Wicked movie). “The Wizard and I” is a hopeful anthem for Elphaba, as she feels encouraged by this reassurance and compelled to prove her worth and inherent goodness to The Wizard.

There Shouldn’t Be Any Doubts About Ariana Grande’s Wicked Movie Casting

Grande Has The Vocal Ability To Pull Off Wicked’s Demanding Musical Numbers

Even though she won’t be delivering another showstopping performance of “The Wizard & I” in the Wicked movie, Grande’s casting as Glinda was a brilliant choice. Glinda herself has some demanding musical numbers, but as a professionally trained vocalist, Grande certainly has the vocal range and musical prowess to hit the high notes and deliver. Grande’s Wicked role also means she’ll finally perform Glinda’s song “Popular” after featuring on MIKA’s “Popular Song” in 2012, which samples the titular Wicked track. In terms of pulling off the look, new Wicked photos prove Grande has the girly Glinda vibe and aesthetic down.

The main concern with Grande’s casting in Wicked seems to be her limited acting background, particularly in film. Grande may have been a teen TV star on Nickelodeon, but she’s never played the lead role in a film before (her only prominent live-action film role was playing pop star Riley Bina in 2021’s Don’t Look Up). However, what Grande lacks in screen-acting experience, she makes up for in musical theater experience. In 2008, Grande made her Broadway debut at just 15 years old in the musical 13 and played Penny Pingleton in Hairspray Live!, another TV special that was broadcast live on NBC in 2016.

If nothing else, Grande’s audition process for Glinda in Wicked proves that she is the right woman for the job. To prepare for the auditions, Grande put in the work to “deconstruct” her celebrity image and pop star identity in order to “prove” to the casting directors she “could handle taking on another person.” This level of commitment shows Grande is taking this role of a lifetime as Glinda in the Wicked movie seriously.

Wicked

Based on the famous play that stemmed from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked is a fantasy musical that sees an all-new cast take on the modern tale. The film explores the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West, a woman scorned by society due to her green skin, with even the Wizard of Oz framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. 

Director

Jon M. Chu

Release Date

November 27, 2024

Writers

Winnie Holzman , Stephen Schwartz