Possible Wicked film casting idea- Page 2

[Patronus]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 6:52am

So what would it take for this possible idea to develop into an actual idea?

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 8:51am

As we all have learned, not all real talented Broadway stars transfer well to movies: Gwen Verdon, Carol Channing, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters... on and on...

Gwen Verdon was terrific in Damm Yankees, Carol Channing did Throughly modern Millie and was a regular TV star, as for Angela well that argument was just ridiculous.

Lea is a STAR!! And she has proven she can own the small screen as well as the big one. Doesn't everyone here complain when a star who cannot sing is cast in a musical? Why not let someone as talented as Lea have her big break, Lawrence just won an Oacar.

Gaga would be soul melting as Elphaba!! She was also my top choice for the witch in Into the Woods.

[Patronus]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 9:02am

Speaking of soul melting...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 9:23am

If Lea is a STAR, she doesn't need any sort of break.

What big screen has she "owned" (again, then she wouldn't need a break)? The Glee Concert? Hardly would count (although I don't begin to know if that was successful or not) as it is the Glee Franchise that was the star.

And then there is the whole debate about good people derserving good things happening to them.



WICKED would not need names to sell. I'm not sure that the producers will feel that way, however. I also don't think producers think Lea Michele is a "name".




Updated for hitting "post too soon"

Updated On: 3/10/13 at 09:23 AM

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:49am

She was in New Year's Eve. Not the best of films but it proved she could hold her own in a major motion picture with the likes of Michelle Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert de Niro...

Lea is a big TV star but she's not a movie star yet. I believe she truly has the potential for EGOT.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:57am

I've seen some stuff about Sam Barks as Elphie. I think this is a great idea, personally.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:12am

Being cast in a film like that is hardley "owning" anything. She was barely noticed. The FILM was barely noticed.

I'm not saying a major film isn't likely to come her way, but she is far from being a major star. I doubt she'll ever even be NOMINATED in all those awards, yet alone win.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:39am

She's not a major star at the moment a film like this could turn her into one.

If she released a pop album she could easily win a Grammy. I mean if they award Taylor Swift, Lea could certainly win. She has already been nominated for an Emmy, if she returned to Broadway she could easily win a Tony and call me delusional but I think Wicked could win her the Oscar.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:17pm

EASILY?? You are delusional.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:18pm

So why hasn't she?

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:21pm

Wasn't she asked to star in Evita and Funny Girl but couldn't because of the filming of the show?

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:23pm

No. She auditioned for Funny Girl and did not get it. I don't know about Evita- I believe she was just a name bandied around as a replacement.

She also auditioned for Cinderella in the Park production of Into the Woods. She didn't get it, either. That one isn't so well-known.

The fact is, she has had only one "lead" in a notable stage production. Wendla. And didn't exactly set the world on fire.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:29pm

Broadway producers love to get big stars in their shows, Do you really think if she wanted to she couldn't find a show to star in? Again, she hasn't because of Glee.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:32pm

Well. She's clearly wanted to. Since she's auditioned. As you noted.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:34pm

Wait....KAD just gave you several things she WANTED and didn't get. But you are still creating excuses for her.

I'm not saying she won't get another b'way show. I'm not saying she won't head up a film. I'm just saying she isn't the next best thing to happen to performing.

I also think you totally overestimate her draw.

BTW...I'd likely see the Wicked film, while I think its over-rated, I'd certainly be curious to see what a film does to it. However, I would actually be LESS likely to see it if she were cast.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:40pm

I agree you are overestimating her star quality. I don't think she would be nearly the draw you imagine she would be.
Her primary fan base are teenagers- good for television and movies and music. Not so much for theatre- something confined by geography and inhibited by price. She isn't yet Tom Hanks, who can sell out a Broadway production of a subpar play simply by being Tom Hanks.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:55pm

All That Jazz, it's great you're so passionate about Lea Michele, she sure showed talent on GLEE at one point (I thought she was pretty funny during the first season). However, you have to be a little more realistic about her place within a larger context outside of GLEE fandom. NEW YEAR'S EVE was a huge flop, not just financially but critically; in Hollywood you can have one or the other but not both, it doesn't usually fare well for a young actress starting out in film. Second, you can't ignore what Kad (who constantly provides reliable inside info) said about the high profile auditions she didn't get, it's very telling that lesser names--Lauren Ambrose in FUNNY GIRL and Jessie Mueller in INTO THE WOODS--got roles Michele was seen for. For whatever reason, I'm going to guess a combination of talent, charisma and professionalism, the producers/directors/casting agents/etc decided to go for a different person who was not Michele. Simply, she's not someone people are falling over to work with.
Elphaba will be the most sought after role for young actresses in Hollywood if/when the film of WICKED gets made. It's just unrealistic to think Michele would be cast over say Jennifer Lawrence (if they're looking for non-singers A-listers) or Samantha Barks (an up-and-coming singing actress who was well-reviewed in a massive worldwide big screen hit).
And you can hate Taylor Swift all you want (I don't feel strongly about her one way or the other) but Lea Michele could never be Swift in a million years, Swift has the "it" factor, she writes her own music and, most importantly, is beloved by people. Michele might have the better voice but she's not beloved by anyone except Ryan Murphy, the GLEE fans and her family I imagine. In short, there's no way she'd just win a bunch of Grammys if she released a solo record.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:02pm

Lea is just lucky that she hasn't felt the white-hot backlash against her that Swift is feeling now.

Though given her reputation, I would say it's only a matter of time. You will be hard pressed to hear good word-of-mouth about her, professionally. She's talented, sure. But it's never good to have the general consensus amongst people she may work alongside with, or already has, be, "She's a bitch." Because that's what it is. I have to wonder if she hasn't worn out some goodwill in NYC.

And please don't try to dismiss that as jealousy speaking and that her Glee costars gush about her on talk shows.

[Nerwen]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:22pm

"Elphaba will be the most sought after role for young actresses in Hollywood if/when the film of WICKED gets made. It's just unrealistic to think Michele would be cast over say Jennifer Lawrence (if they're looking for non-singers A-listers) or Samantha Barks (an up-and-coming singing actress who was well-reviewed in a massive worldwide big screen hit). "

I´m not a fan of Lea, but I have to disagree, Schwartz said that it would be silly NOT to consider Lea for that role. I´m not so sure they will looking for a "Star" because of his comment that the actress playing Elphaba in future is maybe still attending High School. If the movie will really be made in 2014 and the actors are now in high school, then they would be unknown. I would prefer an unknown actress or an actess who performed Elphie on stage to a celebrity..

[choitoy]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:28pm

"I agree you are overestimating her star quality. I don't think she would be nearly the draw you imagine she would be.
Her primary fan base are teenagers- good for television and movies and music. Not so much for theatre- something confined by geography and inhibited by price. She isn't yet Tom Hanks, who can sell out a Broadway production of a subpar play simply by being Tom Hanks."

Yes, but arguably Darren Criss was able to mostly sell out his limited engagement of "How to Succeed". Though the fact that it was a limited engagement (and the fact that arguably he shot to sudden fame from "Glee" with his heart-thorb rendition of "Teenage Dream" a lot faster than Lea did) probably helped in his favor.

And Lea could have auditioned, but maybe her contract with Glee didn't allow her to be finally cast in those shows that she auditioned for because of shooting schedules, etc. (Jesse Tyler Ferguson really wanted to be the Baker in the Park Into the Woods, but couldn't because of his shooting schedule on Modern Family). And lets face it, my sister doesn't really care for Lea Michelle (and has slowly stopped watching Glee because of it), but she admits that she'd see "Funny Girl" (which she doesn't really care for either) with her in it over Lauren Ambrose. I think general Joe Blow ticket buyers would agree.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:35pm

I think most Joe Blow ticket buyers would not particularly care whether it's Ambrose or Michele.

Criss is different than Michele- yes, he shot to stardom quicker. He has a major film with Kristin Wiig and Annette Bening due for release. He's charismatic and charming. Michele hasn't quite got what he has.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:52pm

Let's also not forget who, outside of Glee, Criss and Michele are. Criss is something of a cult figure as a singer songwriter, probably one of the only "internet boys made good" outside of Jonathan Coulton. He has his own theatre company, a fan club, ties to the White House and associations with charity and activism fundraisers.

Michele is a Broadway B-list starlet commonly rumored to be a bitch (so much that it's almost become part of her persona) who did a movie that didn't take off, and has no other real "cultural cache." Is she possibly- maybe even probably, I don't know- a better singer and actress than Criss? If you put a gun to my head, I'd say, "yeah." But do people like her more as a whole? I'd be willing to make the same gun-to-my-head bet and say "no." Because at the end of the day it's not just who you are and what your resume has, it's a question of charisma, character, cult and cultural cache more than it is simply "impressive credentials."

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:54pm

If you people are serious about them casting the original cast, I have one word for you: RENT.

Maybe have Idina play the mom, but she needs to stay away from Elphaba. As does Lea. She may be able to play the first part, but I can't see her doing anything in Act 2.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:55pm

Michele has the pure talent. Criss has the star quality. He's not at all untalented. But who would I root for? Criss.
But they're apples and oranges. Criss isn't the one people want to be Elphaba.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:59pm

Why are we having this discussion? Criss is a man. He's not going to play either Galinda or Elphaba. He would be a great Fiyero, but I really don't want anyone involved with Glee to be in this movie.

I actually don't want this movie made at all.