Inside the ‘Wicked’ musical number that could win Ariana Grande an Oscar

As a film enthusiast with a soft spot for musicals and a keen eye for detail, I must say that this article paints an enchanting picture of the making of “Wicked”. The behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process, the collaboration between the talented cast and crew, and the passion each individual brings to their role are truly captivating.

When Ariana Grande learned she was to play Glinda in the movie “Wicked,” she made a vow.

In a video call with director Jon M. Chu in 2021, she expressed, “I have such deep affection for her,” while fighting back tears. “I promise to give her the best care possible.

In the performance, Ariana Grande delivered on her promise, but it’s Cynthia Erivo who seems to be garnering award attention for her heart-wrenching portrayal in “Defying Gravity.” However, Grande’s talents, both comedic and musical, shine brightly in “Popular.” Originally a stage performance requiring only two beds has been dramatically expanded for the screen, turning into an intricate, engaging seven-minute set piece. In this performance, Grande glides across the floor, dances on a banister, and swings from a chandelier – all while singing live. By the conclusion of this delightfully imaginative scene, both Elphaba and the audience find themselves irresistibly drawn to Glinda.

Though she’s occasionally displayed her comedic talent as the host of “Saturday Night Live” or by mimicking celebrities on late-night programs, Grande’s portrayal of Glinda seems reminiscent of the leading actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age musical era, hinting at a potential Oscar nomination for her performance.

The group responsible for the production shared their insights with The Times regarding the assembly of “Popular” as seen on screen. They discussed the strong creative connection formed between Erivo and Grande, as well as a discreet tribute paid to the original Glinda character, Kristin Chenoweth.

Jon M. Chu (director) expressed that there was significant anticipation surrounding “Popular.” It seemed as if everyone was eagerly waiting to see what he, Ari, could deliver.

In her audition, it seemed as though she possessed an inherent quality reminiscent of Glinda, although not quite like the character portrayed in the film. I anticipated needing to provide some guidance, but on the first day of rehearsals, she embodied Glinda effortlessly. Her mannerisms and voice had transformed, making me feel as if I’d encountered Glinda in person. The play seemed to be based on this girl! Given her lack of experience leading a movie, it was astonishing how consistently and passionately she delivered such a compelling performance.

Alice Brooks (cinematographer): It was awe-inspiring to witness the transformation. Upon her arrival in London for 18 weeks of preparation, she sported her dark hair and bore a resemblance to Ariana Grande. Gradually, over the course of each passing week, the change became more apparent.

Christopher Scott (choreographer): That lean of hers – it wasn’t part of the choreography, she discovered it on her own. I recall watching it evolve. She’s extremely intuitive, always developing this character, rehearsing it, sensing the audience, and if we laugh, she takes note.

The initial scene we filmed was the new dorm room setting where she and Elphaba are moving in together. Her joyful exclamation, “I simply adore fresh air,” delivered in a charming transatlantic accent – it left us all bewildered, as if she were a classic Hollywood star from a bygone era! Yet, she embraced the eccentricity wholeheartedly.

In earlier drafts of the show, I penned dialogue sequences where Glinda introduces Elphaba to her friends following a makeover, much like the scene in “Clueless” with the line, “Here she is, come on out!” This concept eventually transformed into a song, and Stephen elevated it significantly.

In the interest of trying something fresh for the film, my music team and I proposed updating the rhythm. Perhaps, just a thought, we could add a hint of hip-hop. However, Ariana firmly stated, “Definitely not. I want to be Glinda, not Ariana Grande portraying Glinda.

Brooks: “Popular” was the first song we filmed. The issue was that we aimed for a massive, majestic piece, but we were in a very compact, personal dorm room – our smallest set yet. One night, I had a sudden awakening and thought, the sun should always rise for Glinda and set for Elphaba. So “Defying Gravity” is essentially one long sunset, and “Popular” is one long sunrise. We installed a skylight in the dorm’s dome ceiling so the sun could serve as our spotlight.

Paul Tazewell (costume designer): In “What Is This Feeling?”, we see them dressed casually, but “Popular” offers a distinctly different atmosphere – lighter, more entertaining. I designed a pink peignoir with ruffled spiral circles for this scene, reminiscent of Glinda’s attire in the stage musical. It features a soft teddy beneath and custom-embroidered shoes with subtly upturned toes. This costume represents Glinda’s take on Hollywood glamour, making her appear adorable, flirty, playful, and full of mischief during the song.

In the film, both Ariana and Cynthia occasionally break the boundary between screen and audience by looking directly into the camera at each other. This technique, which we frequently employ in our movie, creates a surprising connection between them and the viewer as they seem to challenge the invisible lens barrier. It wasn’t until the editing process that we truly grasped its impact.

The chandelier performance was quite a challenge. She leaped really high onto it and nearly struck a performer in the face at one instance. For safety purposes, someone had to be physically present on top of it, instead of using harnesses and editing the scene during post-production.

Scott: The soft sound of her tapping feet – I recall helping her figure out how to walk in that area, and she tried it once, and we said “Excellent, repeat that.” That was the essence of it, we’d discover items in the room and then adapt to the situation.

Brooks: The first time she sings “You will be… popular”, it’s a seamless transition with precise pauses, allowing us to capture dolly and crane shots by temporarily dismantling parts of the set. Our Steadicam operator, Karsten Jacobsen, who has an impressive dance background, started his career as a production assistant on a dance competition show. When their Steadicam operator was injured, they asked him to take over, and he learned all the choreography and rehearsed with Ariana on our makeshift set so that the camera movements could be perfectly synchronized with her performance.

Chu: Initially, I imagined a scenario where Glinda and Elphaba ventured into Elphaba’s closet, seemingly losing their way in this pink realm, as they kept turning corners. The question then arises, just how vast is this closet? However, producer Marc Platt suggested that we might want to avoid delving too deeply into the fantastical. He reminded us that Glinda doesn’t possess magic, so introducing such an element could lead to confusion.

Imagine if all along, the objects we’ve been seeing were actually part of her closet and you hadn’t realized it yet. This would make creating life out of a closet an incredibly challenging task, involving small teams of men manipulating doors at precisely the right moments, devices that unfold remotely with wires and batteries. The mirror is a massive mechanical piece because it needs to bend backward so she can walk on it. Walking on it has always been nerve-wracking; even during rehearsals, I was always apprehensive. If she steps on those lights, she could injure her foot.

As a film enthusiast, let me share my thoughts on that subtle shoulder move between Ari and Cynthia in the mirror scene. It’s not what you’d expect in a duet, but these two performers managed to incorporate it seamlessly. They told me, “This is the moment, watch this.” I believe their deep artistic connection allowed them to create this unexpected yet beautiful choreography.

Cynthia expressed her discomfort about simply watching another person, and if the scene at Ozdust significantly altered their relationship, then the “Popular” number might have solidified their friendship even more. The casual kick by Cynthia following Ari hints at playful interaction and bonding between them. While the larger moments in this number are impactful, it’s the subtle actions that create an authentic sense of these characters growing closer as friends.

Scott: The entire gesture of “communicators” (when Grande raises her arms) was a tribute to Kristin Chenoweth in a heartfelt manner. I was truly appreciative that an actor would show such affection and respect not only for the character she portrayed, but also for the entire “Wicked” franchise.

Ari truly embodied the space; each of her movements was purposeful, she seemed to be completely immersed in her physicality, effortlessly jumping on the banister and lifting a leg. Moving around Cynthia felt as if it were second nature.

Tazewell: What makes it so amusing is this contrast. You have a graceful, elegant item typically worn by someone aiming for maximum glamour, but then she chooses to act unconventionally – either crawling on the floor or swinging from the chandelier instead.

Brooks: We spent five hours filming the wand gag. Jon wanted every moment to be hilarious for her, and she kept making it funnier and funnier. Later, [editor] Myron [Kerstein] received the footage and said something like, “How am I supposed to edit this when everything is fantastic?” I believe he created around 17 distinct versions of how it could unfold.

Scott: I’ve seldom laughed as much in my entire life. Working with her daily was nothing short of hilarious. The laughter would be so intense that you could see Ari’s makeup trickling due to her uncontrollable laughing fits. It was almost as if I was collaborating with a contemporary Lucille Ball. And yes, I know such comparisons are made frequently, but in this case, it truly felt that way. The intelligence and wit she possesses, combined with her comedy that is so amusing because of its thoughtfulness, left me in splits every day.

Brooks: Jon aimed to create a film with an authentic old-Hollywood charm, making it feel enduring, sophisticated, and romantic. My intent was to make it the most heartwarming love story ever portrayed between these two cherished friends. The scene in the mirror, where Glinda tells Elphaba she’s beautiful, and Elphaba finally sees herself as lovely for the first time, represents the pinnacle of their bond.

Schwartz: It was fortunate that these two actresses worked so well together, as they were cast separately. Their chemistry significantly enhanced the film’s emotional depth; without it, each performer would have delivered a strong individual performance, but the overall emotional impact might not have been as profound.

Brooks: It was difficult to capture them simultaneously on screen because one character is predominantly green and dressed in black for much of the film, while the other has blonde hair and wears mainly light pink outfits. I preferred not to use color correction techniques to distinguish them, instead aiming for an authentic in-camera solution that also captured the intricate details of their costumes and makeup. It required extensive collaboration with our teams to find a way to have them both appear together on screen, while ensuring they both looked equally stunning.

Schwartz: I proposed a fresh twist to Ariana for the final vocal note. At first, she showed some reservations, but I convinced her by explaining that if I had envisioned it for the original production, this is what it would have sounded like. Once she was assured that this new addition fit the character, she was fully supportive.

Initially, we hadn’t planned on incorporating it, but when we came across Nathan Crowley’s stunning hallway, it struck us as the perfect homerun. So, we shared with Ari, “You’ll perform, and we won’t edit a single moment. You’ll be fully exposed, raw, for everyone to witness.

Scott: Given her background in musical theater and her current pop career, I felt confident that she could handle any movement I threw at her. However, her impressive high kick in the hallway took me by surprise, as one doesn’t know someone can do that until they actually perform it. She was just goofing around and improvising, but then she almost hit herself with the kick. It left me astonished, thinking “You’ve been keeping this trick up your sleeve?” We decided to include it right away in our performance.

Holzman: It truly seems like the actress is enjoying herself immensely. I believe a significant part of this is because the role means so much to her, and it’s not just another job or film for her. Instead, it feels like she’s embracing a moment where she’s fulfilling her destiny.

Marc Platt (producer): After we wrapped up filming, she was in tears due to overwhelming happiness. If you observe carefully while she dances down that corridor, you can truly notice the authentic joy on her face and it’s breathtaking. In truth, it’s absolutely spot-on.

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2024-11-25 22:32