Amanda Seyfried: It Was Devastating to Lose Out on Wicked Role

Amanda Seyfried has been changed for the better after auditioning for “Wicked.”

The Emmy-nominated star of “The Dropout” admitted to Porter magazine that she found it “devastating” to not be cast as Glinda the Good Witch in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” musical adaptation. The role ultimately went to singer Ariana Grande.

“I lost out on a big role that I really wanted — [well], I thought I wanted,” Seyfried explained. “It was devastating, and it wasn’t for any other reason than I really felt like it was right. But that doesn’t take away from my confidence at all.”

Seyfried previously opened up to Backstage that it was her dream to star as Glinda after showing off her vocal chops in “Mamma Mia!” (2008) and “Les Misérables” (2012).

“I have dreams that I’m still auditioning for ‘Wicked,’” Seyfried said. “Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [on ‘The Dropout’], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of ‘Wicked’ — because I wanted it that much that I was like, ‘You know what? Yeah, I have to play the last scene of ‘The Dropout’ on Tuesday. I’ll give my Sunday to you.’ I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life.”

She continued, “But I think it also taught me how far I’ve come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove. Because ever since ‘Les Mis,’ I was like, I need to be better. I need to do better. So whatever comes next in terms of musicals, I’m finally prepared.”

“Wicked” will be a two-part musical movie event, with “Wicked: Chapter One” premiering December 25, 2024, followed by “Wicked: Chapter Two” exactly a year later in 2025. “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights” director Chu helms both features, with Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.

Principal photography starts in November for the reimagined prequel to the “Wizard of Oz,” based on Gregory Maguire’s novel and adapted by Winnie Holzman with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The films will be released by Universal Pictures.

“Seven Rings” singer Grande shared in a YouTube video that she “went into full preparation mode” to be cast as Glinda.

“I know the material like the back of my hand, but I still have so much to learn,” Grande explained. “I went pretty hard getting ready. Every piece of me, every minute, every ounce of my heart, my time, my everything that I can give it…I am spending all my time with Glinda.”

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