Once upon a time, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg were vying for the right to go green as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. That's right: before Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast in the movie musical version of Wicked, several other actresses were contending for roles, which could have resulted in a very different film than the one we eventually got.
According to Vanity Fair, producer Marc Platt and various other key production members shared insights about the manifold iterations of the film throughout its lengthy development process. Adapting Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel of the same name for the big screen wasn’t straightforward, taking decades marred by numerous decisions.
For much of its development, they considered creating Wicked as a straight drama without any music. This approach was gradually changed when composer Stephen Schwartz approached the producers, leading to the idea of crafting it as a musical stage show first.
Platt noted he became involved with the project when he was at the helm of Universal Pictures, stating, "the book had been optioned initially by Demi Moore's company." He elaborated, mentioning the significant interest from several actresses early on. Novelist Gregory Maguire reflected, "People who had expressed interest included Whoopi Goldberg and Claire Danes. Salma Hayek had also shown some interest, and Laurie Metcalf." It was primarily Moore and her production company, Moving Pictures, who pursued the rights most vigorously, as she was eager to seek the role of Elphaba.
Moore’s producing partner, Suzanne Todd, commented, "I think on different days she could do either, but at the moment it was definitely for Elphaba." Maguire humorously noted, "I can envision Demi Moore naked and green on the cover of Vanity Fair,” perhaps hinting at how groundbreaking and memorable such casting could have been.
But who might have played Glinda alongside Moore’s Elphaba? Todd confirmed, "At the time, there were several top contenders: Michelle Pfeiffer, Emma Thompson, Nicole Kidman." The indecision and exploration went on for years until Schwartz’s dreams for the musical started to solidify.
The development of the musical also helped rectify significant script issues often encountered when attempting to adapt such dense source material, filled with internal monologues. Platt expressed how musical formats were pivotal, noting: "A character can turn to the audience—or the camera—and sing what he or she is feeling. That opened up a door of storytelling.”
With this newfound direction, the conception of Wicked as the megahit Broadway musical began. Premiering on stage in 2003, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were the main stars playing Elphaba and Glinda respectively. The musical's remarkable success set the stage for the fully-realized iteration of Wicked we know and love today.
This history unveils how the absence of Moore or Goldberg as the leading characters would have shaped the narrative and reception of Wicked differently. Yet, audiences today are undoubtedly thankful for the casting paths traversed, resulting in the celebrated portrayal seen on stages and screens.
