Last month, a January, 2023 video of Amanda Seyfried singing the song “Popular” from Wicked resurfaced on TikTok with the caption that it was her audition tape for the role of Glinda. Predictably, people started arguing in the comments (and around the Internet) about whether she should have been cast in the role over Ariana Grande. It was bad enough when Cynthia Erivo tried to make her own blind item by shading two other women she auditioned with. The Internet needs no encouragement in both the facts and unsolicited opinions departments.
Anyway, at an event recently, Amanda was asked about the alleged audition tape. She clarified that while she did in fact audition “hard” for Wicked, that video had nothing to do with it! In fact, it was shot by her stylist for fun while she was backstage during a photo shoot in Queens back in 2020, before the Wicked audition process even started.
The Mamma Mia! star, 39, spoke to PEOPLE exclusively at the Make It Cute x Babylist Holiday Event on Tuesday, Dec. 10 in Beverly Hills, Calif. During the event, Seyfried took a moment to set the record straight about a recently surfaced video that features her singing the song “Popular” from the musical Wicked while wearing a silver princess dress— specifically addressing rumors that it was an audition tape for the role of Glinda in the 2024 film.
“I think it was during COVID. I was doing a Lancôme shoot in Long Island City. Elizabeth Stewart [was] my stylist,” Seyfried told PEOPLE.
“I was not auditioning for Wicked yet, but I knew it was like coming up,” she continued, adding, “So I was just f—— around really, and I was like, ‘This dress is so Glinda. And Elizabeth was like, ‘Do it.’ And then she posted at some point.”
Seyfried noted that while she loves her stylist, “maybe it would be better if it hadn’t been posted,” because “it was truly just a fun, like, [behind-the-scenes] moment of my Lancôme shoot.”
However, the Les Miserables actress admitted that even though the video was “in jest” she did, in fact, later audition for the role of Glinda in earnest — a part which eventually went to Ariana Grande.
“I went hard for that, for sure. And it was a very long process. And everything happens the way it’s meant to,” she revealed, adding that she thought the film turned out “fantastic.”
“It’s an extravaganza, which is what she [Grande] does really well. And [my kids] have been playing the soundtrack nonstop. And everything is as it’s meant to be for sure.”
Well, hearing how lovely she sounded just goofing around and not even knowing all of the words, now I am curious to see Amanda’s actual audition. I’ve seen her in Mamma Mia and Les Misérables but I always forget that she has a good singing voice. I feel badly that her lighthearted moment was taken so out-of-context almost two years after it was shared on Instagram that she has regrets about letting Stewart post it in the first place. As for the actual audition, there’s no doubt that Amanda “went hard” for the role. I would have too if I were her. Reneé Rapp and Dove Cameron also auditioned for Glinda. She’s right about everything working out the way it should have because Ariana surprised most of us and kicked ass as Glinda.
Photos credit: IMAGO/Eventpress Kochan/Avalon, DNPhotography/Abaca Press/INSTARimages, Michael Stewart/INSTARimages.com
Seyfried is just so good! I have watched her in the Elizabeth Holmes biopic over and over.
I co-sign this. She is absolutely astounding in that.
I like het but Ariane is a perfect G(a)linda
Not a fan of Amanda.
I feel like there was probably a super long list of actresses with good voices who either auditioned for Wicked or really wanted to audition and it didn’t happen. One of the biggest musicals of the 21st century is getting made into a movie, with two strong female leads? I feel like the line would be out the door for auditions. So this does not surprise me.
Its hard now because I do think Ariana nailed Glinda, so I can’t see anyone else in that role. But I did like Amanda in Mamma Mia and Les Mis so maybe she would have been a good fit as well.
Ariana Grande was excellent in that role but yeah, with so much talent out there I can see a scenario where another talented actress got the role and we wouldn’t have been able to picture Ariana in the role instead of them.
I think about this a lot and it’s not just with acting. There are so many talented people out there. Sometimes someone takes a job and blows their colleagues away, but another qualified candidate could be out there who could’ve been great, just in other ways.
Anyway, good for Amanda for admitting that she wanted the part and went hard for it. So many people play it cool but she wasn’t afraid to theater geek all over it.
I do the same thing! its kind of a fun “what if” sometimes. Like here, Ariana was great, but Amanda may have been great as well but the movie would have been very different IMO. Would it have been as successful? I think so.
Would Wizard of Oz have been as good with Shirley Temple instead of Judy garland??
it can be a fun thought experiment.
@Becks1 – I don’t think Shirley Temple was ever seriously considered for Wizard of Oz. Judy Garland was their first choice because it was going to be such a big musical. Shirley loved the book and auditioned, but her voice was too weak. I can’t imagine “Over the Rainbow” would have been such a lasting and iconic song if Judy hadn’t performed it as she did.
Or imagine if Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan were in Casablanca instead of Humphry Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. This was never a plan, Reagan/Sheridan was just a PR story, but imagine…brrr…
oh Garland was definitely the first pick but there were some thoughts about Shirley Temple. It just would have been such a different movie all around for so many reasons. Like you said Over the Rainbow likely would not have become the classic it is with Shirley’s voice.
And that’s the question I find fascinating – lets go with the Reagan/Sheridan story as truth – would Casablanca be the classic that it is if it was with them and not Bogart/Bergman? Would it have ended up being just another movie from the 40s that people don’t remember 80 years later?
I think Amanda would really have the chops for the second half where Glinda is basically a face for fascism and needs to be a bit more serious. The first part was flaky Glinda and that’s in Ariana’s wheelhouse with the Disney stuff she did.
This might be controversial, but I think in retrospect, Amanda would have been the better choice from a PR perspective. Ariana messed up a lot of people’s hype for the film with all her messy costar drama, that I wonder if more ppl would have turned out for a drama-free Amanda. Guess we will never know!
I see what you’re saying, but Wicked is at the top of the ratings for weeks now. I don’t think a lot of people sat it out because of Ariana’s co-star drama.
I disapprove of how both he and she handled themselves and how they hurt his wife, but I still went to see it out of curiosity because I saw the musical and read the book and my theater kid was interested.
I would have seen it anyway, but if anything I was MORE interested because I only knew Ariana as a pop star with a great voice and was curious to see what she would do with the role. I thought Ariana did a great job, but I do think she copied Kristen Chenowith a bit too much. It would have been interesting to see someone like Amanda Seyfried who is already known for acting and specifically musicals because maybe she would have felt more free to put her own spin on the role.
I like Amanda Seyfried. She’s a great actress and she can sing. She would have done great as Glinda.
I agree. I haven’t seen it yet to see Ariana, but Amanda is talented and I could totally picture her in the role.
She would have done a nice job with Galinda but Ariana did a great job.
Amanda, please, please, please give those of us who remember you as Joanie on All My Children a reunion romantic comedy with Reggie Porter Montgomery Forever Michael B Jordan!
I love Amanda, but I think she has kind of thin vocals. The fluttery vibrato usually suggests that one lacks vocal support to hold and sustain the big notes and Glinda has to be able to SING. “Popular” is a cute number that admittedly thrives on personality, charm, and comedic timing, but songs like “No One Mourns the Wicked” require Glinda to be able to belt operatically and stand out over a choir. I just don’t see her being able to hit the notes Ari did, let alone hang with a spectacular vocalist like Cynthia Erivo.
After watching Angelina’s beautiful work in Maria, I consider myself something of an opera/voice expert – LOL! I kid, I kid.
They used a fair bit of auto tune in the movie so it’s not fair to take an IG clip and compare to the final film version. Neither has the operatic skills of Kristin Chenowith so the thin voice part fits for both Ariana and Amanda. No one develops serious operatic skills in a few weeks before filming.
Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey are the ones with broadway level skills. And even there they did a bit of autotune with them, which was unnecessary.
Amanda’s voice is much thinner and reedier than Ariana Grande’s (who did actually undergo extensive operatic training while she was filming Wicked, not just for a few weeks prior to filming like you said). That said, Ariana technically didn’t sing classical opera in the opening number. When one sings classical opera, the singer’s larynx doesn’t move to aid in projection. Ariana, like most pop vocalists in the vein of Whitney, Mariah, and Celine, does move her larynx when she sings. Frankly, classical opera is very much an acquired taste, and I think the approach was to embrace operatic stylings (large notes, lots of vibrato, big range) while still keeping the vocals more mainstream.
That said, Amanda doesn’t have the belting power or the sustainability for numbers like “No One Mourns the Wicked” or “For Good” and “Not that Girl” (reprise) from part 2. Glinda is a very vocally demanding role beyond just being able to sing “operatically.” Kristen really only sings operatically in “NOMTW.”
For some inexplicable reason, there was autotune in the versions of the songs that were used in the trailers, but the mixes were entirely different in the film version.
Agreed. Les Mis was her worst singing ever, with the thin soprano on full (not really) blast and unsustained/ unsupported high notes. She can belt within her limited range (Mama Mia), but has to audibly switch to the wavering/airy head voice when the notes are higher, which is the opposite of Broadway. If those ladies had to do any mixing, it’s very seamless and the high notes are clear and strong.
I loved Wicked and was mesmerized by Cynthia and Ariana. I do not love her as an artist (“Problem” and “No Tears Left to Cry” are probably my only faves) and prefer her covers of Mariah and Celine over her own stuff. Which is probably why I liked her as Glinda—that voice put to enunciated, good use! But I fully agree with the critic who said Hollywood should stop hiring merely adequate singers (looking at Amanda, Emma Stone and Waston—ugh!—and all the Russel Crowe/Pierce Brosman type men) and go with the real deals who can also act.
I just started listening to the audiobook of “Wicked” yesterday while clearing out my storage unit🤬…I had an inkling of what the story was about…but DID NOT KNOW…how grown AF it is🤪 It is making my task move SO MUCH FASTER…and I will be reading the sequels 💚
And honestly…I think the movie would have been great with whomever the production company picked…
I was in my mid-20s when I read the book and I HATED it. Recently had a convo with a friend who read it at the same age and said she left it in an airport bathroom, she hated it so much. I told her that I want to read it again now that I am in my mid-40s because I think I will understand and like it better than I could at that stage in my life.
I think if I read THIS when I was younger…I woulda had the SAME reaction! 😱 Listening to it via audiobook and the narrator is wonderful ❤️ Once again I thank G-D for my local library ❣️
@It Really Is You – I tried for MONTHS to get through tha book, but all I wanted to do was scream “NO ONE CARES ABOUT THE EFFING CLOCKS!” Never was able to finish it.
The musical lightens up a few things compared to the book. Ultimately it is probably a relevant movie for the times with the creeping fascism using a con artist as the head of the country.
I think that’s why I can understand it better now, after living through the political situation over the last 10 years. I think I will understand it, but enjoying it without panic attacks may not be in the cards because it’s just too real now.
I can’t believe I am saying this. But Arianna was perfect casting. It’s one of those movies with a built-in audience. So, it was a 99% guaranteed hit. But then again, so did Cats. But I digress….
But mostly I am simply happy Lea Michelle got rejected for any role, especially Elphaba.
Amanda has had an amazing career and will have many big roles ahead of her. But for Arianna you can see this is the role that will define her career. And the chemistry between her and Cynthia is just so special. I don’t think it would have been the same with Amanda. Or any other actress IMHO. You can’t just create it, it’s magic sometimes.
Still annoyed I have to wait a year for Part 2.
I just like knowing that A list actresses and one of the most famous women in the world had to audition multiple times and not just given the part. Ariana won the part fair and square over a bunch of other very talented ladies.
I think chemistry was probably a big part of it and physicality. She and Cynthia are pint sized powerhouses.
Casting is such a big part of a film’s success. I always think about The Notebook where Rachel McAdams won the part over a slew of more famous actresses. When you see her audition tape you understand why. Her chemistry with Gosling was off the charts and led the film to be a sleeper cult classic.
While Amanda does have a pretty enough voice, she was a joke as Cosette. Sorry, Rosie
Ariana as Galinda is an inspiring step forward.
I think they have a perfect cast for Wicked. Although I do also like Amanda in Mamma Mia, Les Mis, even enjoyed her rom com Letters to Juliet. I don’t know if Dove will ever get her break. Renee Rapp, maybe 2025(I predicted Sabrina and Gracie will get their big hits this year, I was right 😊).
Good god, I love Amanda, especially in the Mamma Mia films, but why is everyone determined to forget that these characters are meant to be university students! She’s 39! No wonder she didn’t get the part! What’s with all these 30-somethings going for and getting these roles?