“Make Glinda your Glinda”: Kristin Chenoweth’s advice for Ariana Grande in the Wicked film.

Original Glinda the Good Witch actress Kristin Chenoweth recently shared her advice to Ariana Grande, who will play Glinda in the anticipated film adaptation of the musical Wicked. Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Wicked chronicles the journey of Galinda Upland (Grande) and Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), childhood friends turned enemies in the roles of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West. Chenoweth played her role in the 2003 Broadway production, earning her second Tony Award nomination, but losing out to co-star Idina Menzel, who played Elphaba.

In an interview on the Kelly Clarkson show, Chenoweth shared his advice to Ariana Grande as the pop star took on the role of Glinda. Chenoweth reveals Grande was “nervous,” but she wanted to honor the Broadway star with her performance. Read Chenoweth’s advice to Grande below:

“He didn’t call me to ask for advice. She was very nervous. She said: ‘I want to pay tribute to you, but I’m scared. I want to make you feel proud.’ I said, ‘Wait, you’ve already made me feel proud. So it doesn’t matter.’ Checked, done. This has been achieved. What I want to encourage you to do, Ariana, is to make Glinda your Glinda. Sure, you can give me a nod if you want. But I really want you to just be yourself.”

Faithful transpositions of any previous medium are an intimidating challenge, especially when previous performances are considered iconic and recognizable by audiences. Although the 2019 remake of The Lion King was financially successful, audiences found many of the new arrangements of the well-known songs subpar to the originals. Wicked faces a similar difficulty, trying to honor what came before with the renowned Broadway musical while still standing on its own feet.

Since Wicked was originally a stage musical, the film adaptation will likely appeal to audiences who have never seen the live-action version. Grande’s version of the opening song “No One Mourns the Wicked” will be their first experience with opera. With the show’s original music composer, Stephen Schwartz, returning for the film, Grande is in good hands to deliver a performance that not only pays homage to the original, but also has her own appeal.

Grande’s outstanding pedigree as a pop star should allay any fears about her ability to be an adequate replacement for Chenoweth. The American Music Award, Billboard Music Award, and Grammy Award-winning singer repeatedly demonstrated her vocal talent with a string of chart-topping albums over the course of a decade. She will excel as Glinda, becoming the new face of a classic character. Wicked: Part One will hit theaters November 27, 2024, with Wicked: Part Two arriving in 2025.

Source: The Kelly Clarkson Show