Cynthia Erivo Recalls Being 'Ill by the End' of Her 3-HourWickedAudition: 'I Was in Bed for the Next Week'

Mar. 15, 2025

Cynthia Erivo.Photo:Christopher Khoury/APA via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Christopher Khoury/APA via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Cynthia Erivois opening up about her first taste ofWicked.

The actress, who plays Elphaba in the upcoming film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, appeared on theTonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonon Wednesday, Nov. 13, and shared her experience auditioning for the role.

Erivo, 37, revealed her audition was three hours, prompting Fallon, 50, to ask, “Three hours? Were you exhausted?”

It was an exceptionally big weekend for Erivo. The night before her audition, she had performed at Disney Hall.

Ariana Grande, Erivo’s costar who plays Glinda in the film, said sheprepared for six monthsto audition forWicked.In an interview on Amazon Music’sZach Sang Show, the “Positions” singer said she was simply excited at the opportunity.

“Since I was 20, I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know when this is happening, but when it’s happening, may I please at least just audition?’ That’s all I wanted, was an audition," Grande, 31, said. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Her preparation included daily acting and voice lessons, she said.

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Erivo and Grande didn’t know each other until they were cast together, Erivo told Fallon. But there was “instant chemistry” between them. Erivo even invited Grande over to her house, and they just sat on the floor, talked and quickly became friends.

“It was very easy. It was very easy,” Erivo said of the first stages of her friendship with Grande.

They first sang together at a dinner withJon M. Chu, the film’s director, and Stephen Schwartz, the composer and lyricist. Schwartz sat at the piano while Erivo and Grande sang a duet of “For Good.”

“And our voices worked,” Erivo said. “And that was like magic.”

source: people.com