Idina And Kristin Rumors- Questions

[Soaring29]

You always hear that they  didn't get along and a whole multitude of things, but how valid are they? Are they just tabloid rumors? Or truth that is being blown up or misinterpreted? What exactly were the rumors/stories that  allegedly claimed that they  had difficulties in their relationship? 

In the book "Nothing Like A Dame: Conversations With The Great Women Of Musical Theatre", the writer Eddie Shapiro asks about the very subject of Kristin and Idina and even states that(paraphrased quote, don't have the book with me now) "in your book, you dance around the question of Idina a little bit" and basically politely points out that she doesn't really give a definitive response to whether or not they had an adversarial relationship. She answers his  question, but  in my opinion, still evades any truly definitive response. Look, I understand that  the possibility of that if she said anything along the lines of "me and Idina just don't get along" or "we had some rough patches yeah", that the media would have a field day over it and pit them against each other constantly or  the possibility of that if she flat out denies any conflict, she could be proven wrong by other sources, but why not try to put an end to it and just flat out answer the question? Then the speculation and questions about their relationship could be more or less put to rest. 

[blaxx]

Do a search, please. There's tons of threads on this.

They're opposite personalities, they were not best friends. There is no personal or professional rivalry. They still talk to each other. They hug when they meet. They recently sang For Good together. Kristin is the first person Idina thanks in her Tony speech.

Move along to real drama, there's little to find here.

[gypsy101]

it’s been 15 years who the eff cares anymore. they don’t need to be friends

[Lot666]

gypsy101 said: "it’s been 15 years who the eff cares anymore. they don’t need to be friends"

Apparently the OP does. If this is all you had to say, why respond at all?

[gypsy101]

because OP should realize it’s been 15 years and that they don’t need to be friends.

 

[GavestonPS]

She didn't say anybody had
to be friends with anyone.
Soaring29 merely asked a
question. If that's not
allowed, what are we doing
here?

Soaring29, I don't know, but
I suspect given the "girl
power" friendship shown
in the musical play, they'd
have to be thick as thieves
to prevent SOMEBODY
from saying, "Gee, they
don't seem close like they
did on stage last night."

I heard Dustin Hoffman say
on GRAHAM NORTON that
actors usually get along.
After all, most of what they
do is play together. (I know
Hoffman has had other
problems of late, but that
doesn't disprove his basic
point.)

On the other hand, I'm sure
co-workers get on one
another's nerves over time
as in any industry.

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Countless actors do not like each other AND many play romantic leads opposite each other.  Famously too. 

Teri Garr recently said Gene Wilder was a complete and total jerk yet they starred together in the Mel Brooks' famous YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN film. 

Debra Winger and Shirley MacLaine could not stand each other during the film of 1983's TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and Debra and Richard Gere hated each other during the filming of AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN.  

Its endless. 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams also didn't get along and they both starred on ABC TV's LAVERNE & SHIRLEY.  Heck, even Bea Arthur couldn't stand Betty White during the run of THE GOLDEN GIRLS.   

Viewing old interviews during their run in WICKED, its quite apparent there is some friction between Kristen and Idina.  You can see it in the body language that they both wish they were somewhere else instead of sitting next to each other.   

[Soaring29]

There really doesn't to be anything specific/reliable enough to truly answer the question, but I think I can now conclude that they are two different people who don't hate each other, but aren't best friends either and certainly not rivals- they're both too different  in terms of their talent to be rivals. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

#9, #15, #18

 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1058719

[yankeefan7]

I have always wondered about these questions because somebody please tell me that they got along with everybody they worked with in their life. Yes, it would be nice if to stars in a show were good friends but we all know that is not always going to be the case. They are both professional and are cordial to each other and that should be good enough. I am a sports fan (lol) and I can't tell you how many championship teams had star players who actually hated one another. One example is Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod).

[greensgreens]

Didn't this whole thing start when the show was initially conceived as more of a vehicle for Kristin/Glinda? Throughout the writing process, the Elphaba role grew larger and larger (to the point where Stephanie Block was no longer a big enough name to fill the role) and so Tony Award winner Idina Menzel was chosen. Then, when it finally started to become a hit, all the misfits (or those who like to think of themselves as misfits - and that's most of us at heart really) identified with Elphaba and the whole thing started to revolve around that role. Then, they were up against each other at the Tonys and Kristin lost. I mean, who wouldn't be upset at anyone who could be perceived as eclipsing their big star moment? I'm sure it wasn't a knock-down constant battle like Baby Jane, but I'm certain there was tension and some bad blood.

And there's little to be done about it, as written, Glinda doesn't have the best songs or lines and she's certainly not the "hero" of the piece. The only time I have ever seen the balance between the two come out equal (or even slightly in Glinda's favor) was when Megan Hilty played the role. She gave depth, nuance, and power that I have never seen before or since in that role.

[Soaring29]

No, Glinda was originally going to be more of a supporting role, according to Kristin's book. It was only until the creators realized during table reads with her and Stephanie J. Block that it really should be about both of the characters. 

[GavestonPS]

^^^ That makes sense, considering
the source material. Although
Galinda is important, there's no
question it is Elphaba's story.

***

As for interviews, I doubt there's
an actor alive who gets to the
point of starring in a Broadway
show, but wants to be chained
to another actor at every non-
show appearance. Folks that
talented don't work that hard
because they lack ego. (This
is not to libel either lady; I'm
just stating a fact.)
 

[Soaring29]

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "#9, #15, #18



https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1058719" 

 

Thanks!!! This is a great source!!! 

 

[Auggie27]

Streisand didn't get along with Sydney Chaplin, and Arnaz and Klein used to speak for the first time every night when they met on stage. He went on Merv Griffin (I'm dating myself) to talk about it, and quipped about her dislike of him, "Hey she married a guy who looks like me, so go figure." (Luckinbill). Decades later, they did a reunion concert together.  People are professional, they don't work together because they're pals, they end up in shows because the artistic synergy/chemistry is ideal for the material.  But when it's two women, well, we certainly do ascribe more animosity. (See the "Feud" dynamic.) Another point: Actors don't all work alike. Anyone who's worked on a show knows that rehearsal process is personal, specific, no matter how unifying the directorial approach. More often than not, one star "gets to" the performance level quicker than another.  It creates friction. But in the end, a show opens, and runs, everyone benefits. Read Bacall's books, and LuPone's: both simply leave out many people they didn't enjoy working with. It happens.

[poisonivy2]

I think theater people tend to talk so much about their "passion" that we forget that the theater is also their office. 8 shows a week for usually a year, practically no breaks, and during Tony season, every moment of free time is spent schmoozing voters. So at the end of a day at the "office" do you want to spend time with your co-workers, or do you want to go home and chill with your own friends? 

Very often co-workers do become friends but just as often they don't, and have no relationship outside of work. One of the few times the lack of comraderie actually hurt the show was Oak's difficult relationship with the rest of the cast of TGC. Otherwise most actors can work together professionally despite their differences.

I mean, you ever see the OBC of Hamilton hanging out? 

[broadwayboy223]

I don't buy the whole "wicked was conceived for Kristin" stuff. I mean the title and the book (Wicked) are all about Elphaba. Was she going to be Elphaba?? Like LOL.

[Call_me_jorge]

broadwayboy223 said: "I don't buy the whole "wicked was conceived for Kristin" stuff. I mean the title and the book (Wicked) are all about Elphaba. Was she going to be Elphaba?? Like LOL. "

But Elphaba isn’t really wicked. 

[rodrigo_ca]

To further dismiss these claims, during rehearsals of the Brazilian production of Wicked, the cast said they asked this to the creatives that came from abroad and they said that they just aren't best friends, but there was no rivalry whatsoever between them.

[broadwayboy223]

Call_me_jorge said: "broadwayboy223 said: "I don't buy the whole "wicked was conceived for Kristin" stuff. I mean the title and the book (Wicked) are all about Elphaba. Was she going to be Elphaba?? Like LOL. "

But Elphaba isn’t really wicked."

Honey that's not the point. Obviously she's not wicked but she was known as the "wicked witch". That's how we know the book/musical is about her.

[Fan123]

This all reminds me of Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells' 2012 'Funny or Die' video about their post-Book of Mormon relationship:

Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad: Best Friends Forever