Top 20 Celebs Who Were Almost Cast in Wicked

You might know this actor-singer from his 2017 hit “Selfish” or his time on the U.K.’s “The X Factor.” Or maybe you spotted him in the TV series “I Know What You Did Last Summer” or “Afterlife of the Party” with Victoria Justice. While appearing on the “Zach Sang Show,” Sutherland revealed that he had actually landed a callback for Fiyero in the “Wicked” movie! Even though he felt good about his audition, he wasn’t exactly shocked when he didn’t get it. Although, when you come that close we imagine it’s hard not to get your hopes up just a little. Still, he gave listeners a teeny tiny sneak peek of what his Fiyero might’ve sounded like.

The British singer is rumored to have auditioned for Elphaba in the “Wicked” movie. You might not know this, but Jessie J is a theater kid at heart, having attended a performing arts school. She got her first West End break at just 11 years old in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Whistle Down the Wind.” Her career later veered toward pop stardom with hits like “Domino,” “Flashlight,” and “Price Tag.” Plus, we already know that she and Ariana Grande sound “Bang Bang[ing]” together! In 2021, Jessie shared a video of herself singing “Defying Gravity.” Hmm, could this have been an audition tape or even just her way of sending good vibes into the universe?

From “Malcolm in the Middle” to “Breaking Bad,” Cranston has proven he’s got some serious range! We could definitely see a version of the Wizard that’s played by Hal and Walt’s love child. Let’s not forget he’s also a Tony Award-winning actor. Sure, it was for a play, but a Tony is a Tony! While singing might not be his signature skill, Cranston has surprised us with his vocal talents before. Jeff Goldblum is undeniably brilliant as the Wizard, but part of us can’t help wondering what Cranston would bring to the role. Though his audition is still just a rumor, if there’s a tape out there, we’d love to get our hands on it!

Does anyone else feel like Madame Morrible and Dolores Umbridge would be total besties? Given Imelda Staunton’s brilliant portrayal of the latter, it’s easy to imagine her as Shiz’s headmistress. With a stage résumé boasting roles like Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd,” Momma Rose in “Gypsy,” Dolly Levi in “Hello, Dolly!” and more, Staunton clearly has the chops for larger-than-life characters. While this casting rumor is just that—a rumor—it’s fun to dream. In 2021, her plate was pretty full, starring in Apple TV+’s “Trying” and preparing to take over as Queen Elizabeth in “The Crown.” Still, with “Wicked” thriving on both sides of the pond, you never know—things could still be “coming up [Morrible]” for the actress.

Today, Park is perhaps best known as Mindy in “Emily in Paris,” where her stunning voice has taken center stage several times. But she has theater roots too, with performances in “Miss Saigon,” “Mamma Mia!,” “The King and I,” and more. She also originated the role of Gretchen Wieners in “Mean Girls” on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. There are whispers that she’s among the “Mean Girls” alums who auditioned to play Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” adaptation. And if her TikTok reaction to watching the movie is anything to judge by, we couldn’t be happier to see her in the role on stage someday!

What is it about the Plastics that just screams “Galinda,” or nearly does, should we say? Musical theater fans will know Louderman from shows like “Kinky Boots,” “Bring It On: The Musical,” and, of course, as the original Regina George in “Mean Girls” on Broadway. She also set her sights on playing Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” adaptation—but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. In a screenshot of an Instagram story, Louderman seemed to express her disappointment about losing the role to a bigger name. She opened up about the heartbreak of putting your soul into a project you care about deeply while trying your best to maintain a thick skin. Sounds like someone made the Burn Book. Just kidding! But if she had one, she wouldn’t be the only “Mean Girl” writing in it—more on that later.

Anna Kendrick is no stranger to singing on screen, with roles in “Pitch Perfect,” “The Last Five Years,” and “Into the Woods.” Her name has surely topped many “Wicked” dream cast lists. Even Amanda Seyfried once said Kendrick would be her ideal Elphaba to play opposite her Glinda. When asked about it, Kendrick told “E! News” she didn’t want to “create a thing,” adding, “Wicked is a masterpiece and a classic and it’s an iconic show, and that’s all I’ll say about that.” Erm, cryptic much, Anna? Feel free to stoke those rumors! We know she’s got what it takes! Her duet with OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth will stay with us “For Good.”

If you’re thinking, “Steve Martin? That famously nice guy playing the morally ambiguous Wizard?” Let us remind you he starred in a movie called “The Jerk.” Also, we have just one word for you: Dentist. Martin showed he could tap into his wicked side when he played the fear-inducing Orin Scrivello in “Little Shop of Horrors.” He also co-composed the music for the 2016 musical “Bright Star” and is a talented bluegrass artist, even winning a Grammy for his debut solo album “The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo.” With his perfect comedy timing, charisma, and versatility, we’re sure Martin would’ve been a great fit for the Wizard if Goldblum had been unavailable. But again, this is just a rumor.

A screen adaptation of “Wicked” has been discussed for years, so it’s no surprise that a ton of names have been floated for the role of Elphaba. One unconfirmed potential was the former Pussycat Doll. She reportedly had discussions with producers but ultimately decided to pass on the role. Beyond her pop career, Scherzinger is a classically trained artist who attended a performing arts school. Recently, fans have been amazed by her vocal range in stage shows like “Rent,” “Cats,” and “Sunset Boulevard.” She’s even performed songs from other Andrew Lloyd Webber classics. Needless to say, her talent to take on almost any role is truly Unlimited.

“Don’t be fooled by the rocks that [she] got,” JLo is another celeb who reportedly hoped to land the role of Madame Morrible in “Wicked.” While Lopez isn’t known for her musical theater background, she’s undeniably a triple threat! She has some stage credits, from a school production of “Godspell” to touring regional shows like “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Oklahoma!” Outside of her music career, we’ve seen her in musical roles in “This Is Me... Now: A Love Story” and, of course, “Selena.” Anyway as we now know, the role went to Michelle Yeoh. However, JLo attended the LA premiere of “Wicked”—so even if the rumors are baseless, we know she’s definitely a fan!

Haaaave you met Cristin Milioti? The self-professed “Wicked” super fan revealed that the film’s team reached out to her for an audition. While playing Elphaba would have been a dream role, the pressure of hitting that iconic “Defying Gravity” riff weighed heavily on her mind leading up to the audition. She shared her experience with Jimmy Fallon, saying everything went well—until that moment. Honestly, the way she tells it is quite funny. Milioti, who played Girl in the Tony Award-winning musical “Once” and earned a Best Actress in a Musical nomination, shared her desire to return to the stage. With a little more practice on that battle cry, who knows? Elphaba could still be in her future!

This actor is no stranger to the world of “Wicked,” having played Fiyero during the show’s 15th anniversary. McCartan’s range is undeniable! You might recognize him as Diggie Smalls from “Liv and Maddie” or as J.D. from the original Off-Broadway cast of “Heathers: The Musical.” He’s kept busy acting on stage and screen and even co-launched a YouTube channel called “The Stage Door”. It’s there that he revealed he had auditioned to play Fiyero in the movie. In a reaction video to the film’s trailer, McCartan jokingly said he had “no hard feelings” toward Chu. He even hilariously fished for a premiere invite as compensation for the snub!

Her name is Reneé Rapp, and she’s a massive deal! We told you there would be another Plastic on our list! Rapp is instantly recognizable for her powerhouse vocals in both the stage and 2024 screen adaptations of “Mean Girls,” where she played Queen B, Regina George. Maybe you know her from the HBO teen-com “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” or perhaps you’ve been following her music career. During a Q&A segment on “Watch What Happens Live! After Show,” Rapp had to break it to a fan that Ariana Grande had already been announced for the role of Glinda. She also revealed that she auditioned for the part, and while she didn’t get it, she seems pretty content to have lost out to Grande.

As we mentioned earlier, a screen adaptation of “Wicked” has been in the works for years. At one point, multi-award-winning director/producer Stephen Daldry was attached to the project. While he was at the helm, Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes was reportedly being considered for the role of Fiyero. Mendes definitely has the look of Shiz’s heartthrob, and you might be surprised to learn he’s dabbled in acting too. As a child, he took acting lessons and even auditioned for the Disney Channel in Toronto, though he admits his nerves got the best of him when it came to learning lines. He certainly looks the part, and we’re curious to see how he’d fare in the role!

Amy Adams is one of those actors who simply can’t be pigeonholed. From” American Hustle” to “Enchanted” and a long list of Oscar-nominated roles, Adams has proven she can do it all. Yet, there’s one role she’s always wanted to add to her impressive resume. While unsure if she had the stamina for an eight-show week, Adams hoped the chance to play Elphaba would come her way—perhaps for a one-off performance. Adams began her career in dinner theater, but most first saw her as a triple threat when she played Giselle in “Enchanted” (alongside OG Elphaba, Idina Menzel) and again in “The Muppets.” Thanks to “Disenchanted,” we got a glimpse of her “Wicked” side, too!

You know Cameron from “Liv and Maddie” and from “Hairspray Live!” where she starred alongside Grande and the original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth. She also shared the screen with Chenoweth in “Schmigadoon!” and “Descendants.” Cameron is another star who revealed she auditioned to play Glinda. In 2019, she was already addressing rumors about being cast, sharing that the role was a childhood dream. More recently, she described the audition process as a journey, saying, “It was one of the longer processes I’ve been a part of.” Even though she didn’t land the role, she’s ready to be her friend Ariana’s biggest cheerleader! With her ties to “Wicked” royalty, who knows? Maybe Broadway will come calling, and she’ll still get Glindafied someday.

The competition to land a role in the highly anticipated “Wicked” movie must have been fierce! Now imagine part of that competition is your own sibling! When the Jonas Brothers popped into Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Nick shared that both he and Joe auditioned for Fiyero! But no worries—there wasn’t much rivalry since they both wanted “someone with the last name Jonas to win.” Nick also told Variety that he felt he nailed his audition, adding that it was a role he “always thought… would be fun to play.” While the part ultimately went to Jonathan Bailey, it sounds like Nick is excited to enjoy his “Wicked” experience as a fan.

Given how many people saw striking similarities between the “Glee” actress and the woman who would later play her on-screen mom, it’s no surprise fans expected Lea Michele to follow in her footsteps. By the sounds of it, Michele wouldn’t have minded hopping on that broomstick either. During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” she was asked if she was in the running to play Elphaba. She admitted she hadn’t received any calls, but let’s be honest, Michele has more than proven she’s got what it takes. At the time though, it seemed like it would remain nothing but a dream. Still, she seemed ready, with the green paint on standby just in case.

Many of us first met Seyfried as Karen Smith in “Mean Girls.” But she’s also shown off her musical talent in movie musicals like “Les Misérables” and both “Mamma Mia!” films. Seyfried hoped to add Glinda from “Wicked” to that list, sharing that she auditioned while juggling her role in Hulu’s “The Dropout.” She said she “bent over backwards” for her audition while “playing the hardest role of [her] life.” Seyfried also explained that she wasn’t totally satisfied with her performance as Cosette and wanted to show how much her vocal skills have improved since then. She even joked that the audition still haunts her dreams. As we know, she didn’t land the gig. Well, as Elphaba says, “We can’t all come and go by bubble.”

Back when Stephen Daldry was in charge, Lady Gaga was hoping fortune would “Rain On [Her]” to land the role of Elphaba. Talks reportedly began between the director and the singer, but they fell apart when Daldry had to step away due to scheduling conflicts. Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, originally dreamed of acting but pivoted to music after struggling to break into the industry. That pivot paid off—13 Grammys and 18 VMAs later, she turned her sights back to acting. From “American Horror Story” to starring in movie musicals like “A Star Is Born” and “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Gaga’s talents are outstanding. Still, it wasn’t meant for her to be “Just Dancing Through Life.”


We think we can all agree the film was perfectly cast but there’s still always the stage! So, who do you think would be the perfect casting for the show? Let us know in the comments