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Cynthia Erivo Tried to Get the Role of Elphaba with a 103°F Fever — Casting Directors Say She “Nailed It”
The artists responsible for casting the Wicked movies can definitely attest that nothing can stop the talent of Cynthia Erivo. During a one-night special Wicked: One Wonderful Night that aired on the NBC channel on Nov. 6, the 38-year-old Oscar nominee, unveiled that she developed a 103-degree fever in the middle of her three-hour audition for the role of Elphaba. In Erivo’s words, she “just nailed it,” according to casting director Bernard Telsey and associate casting director Tiffany Little Canfield, who were able to interact with PEOPLE backstage after the event to say how impressed they were with her performance when she was obviously ill.
Casting Director Remembers Cynthia Erivo “Defying Gravity” While Performing A Fevered Elphaba
“I do remember she was sick, and it was like, this is the only day that we have everyone in the room,” Bernard Telsey told PEOPLE at the Wicked: For Good premiere, remembering that Erivo went through her three-hour audition while pushing through a 103°F fever. “And she did it, and she defied gravity.”
Telsey said it was quite a challenge to get Erivo—she was busy with other projects and traveling—so when they finally got her in front of director Jon M. Chu, the moment was perfect. “She just was able to show that vulnerability,” he added, pointing out that it was a completely different side of Elphaba from which the audience could draw, coming from Erivo’s roles in Harriet and The Color Purple.
Telsey and Canfield Thought That Erivo Should Be Casted “For Good”
Both realized from the very beginning that Cynthia Erivo was the one to be casted “for good”. In the NBC special, Erivo referred to her audition as a chemistry read: she “threw everything out” during the three-hour session and “didn’t hold back”. She even said that after the session she was so exhausted that she had to lie down — “If there is any bit of myself that I didn’t use, I was not in that room,”.
Jon M. Chu Knew Erivo — and Ariana Grande — Were the Perfect Fit
It took only one pivotal reading of the “no‑names” that director Jon M. Chu had been looking for to understand that Cynthia Erivo was his Elphaba. “This role could have been done by anyone, but there were only two people who were meant to do this role, for this particular film at this particular time,” he told SFX Magazine in 2024 — a reference to Erivo and her co-star, Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in both the movie and the musical.
Erivo and Grande Seemed to Complement Each Other Beautifully — and Were Aware of It
During a joint interview with The New York Times in November last year, Cynthia Erivo mentioned that she wasn’t surprised at all when she found out that Ariana Grande would be playing Glinda. To this, Grande, 32, said, “Thank God,” and Erivo added, “Thank goodness, because I was not rehearsing my lines with the two ladies.” Erivo’s comment made people wonder which actresses had been considered and her reaction suggested that she had those names in her mind but she didn’t disclose them. After shooting both films, the two stars have been like two peas in a pod at the press tour, and they have been very vocal in their mutual support.
Cynthia Erivo’s Voice Went Missing at the Premiere — Ariana Grande Didn’t Do Interviews in Solidarity
At the New York premiere of Wicked: For Good, which is the title of the new movie, two stars — Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande — who normally go for interviews together, were missing from the interview sessions after Erivo lost her voice. A statement from the studio said: “Sadly, Cynthia is not feeling well and has lost her voice, so she and Ariana will not be doing interviews this evening.” Grande in return of support to her costar declined the interviews.
Erivo has mentioned how well their partnership worked when she said at a Canva event on April 10, “Working with a person who really understands you has an amazing energy and the person can look into your eyes and know exactly what you need, when you need it, without you having to say it.” The fans will be able to see their on-screen chemistry when Wicked: For Good premieres in theaters on Nov. 21.
