As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in virtual worlds, I must say that the real-world collaboration between Stephen Schwartz and Ariana Grande on “Wicked” is akin to an epic quest in a role-playing game. The fact that Grande stood her ground against altering one of the show’s most iconic songs, “Popular,” is a testament to her dedication to her character and respect for the source material.
Wicked’s Ariana Grande turned down an offer to add more hip-hop to “Popular.”
The musical “Wicked,” featuring Ariana Grande as Galinda/Glinda the Good, is currently playing in U.S. movie theaters. Based on the well-known Broadway play, it is the first installment of a two-part cinematic adaptation. The second part, titled “Wicked: Part Two,” will hit theaters in November next year.
Stephen Schwartz was responsible for both the tunes and the words in the initial Broadway version of Wicked. Later on, he took up roles as a composer, writer of lyrics, and executive producer for the movie directed by Jon M. Chu.
In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, Schwartz disclosed that his initial idea was to rework one of the series’ memorable tunes, “Popular,” for the movie. However, Grande advised against making any changes to it.
What did Stephen Schwartz say about Wicked, “Popular,” and Ariana Grande?
In a creative mindset for the movie’s music, Schwartz and his team considered giving the rhythm a fresh twist, suggesting a touch of hip-hop. However, Ariana firmly declined this idea, stating, “I don’t want to be Ariana Grande portraying Glinda.” Instead, she wanted to embody Glinda genuinely.
Alice Brooks, the cinematographer, pointed out that “Popular” was the first song they filmed. The difficulty lay in creating a grand, expansive scene, but they were confined to a small, intimate dorm room, their smallest set yet. One evening, an idea struck her while she was asleep: the sun should always rise for Glinda and set for Elphaba. Consequently, ‘Defying Gravity’ is essentially one long sunset, while “Popular” is one long sunrise. They installed a skylight in the dorm’s dome ceiling to allow the sun to serve as their spotlight.
In addition to Grande, Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba Thropp, Jonathan Bailey takes on the role of Fiyero Tigelaar, Michelle Yeoh is cast as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum portrays the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ethan Slater becomes Boq Woodsman, Marissa Bode assumes the character of Nessarose Thropp, and Peter Dinklage provides the voice for Dr. Dillamond in the production of Wicked.
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2024-11-26 19:40