Cynthia Erivo shades actresses who auditioned for Glinda in Wicked: Thank goodness Ariana Grande was cast

Cynthia Erivo shaded the actresses who auditioned for the role of Glinda in the “Wicked” movie, expressing her gratitude that Ariana Grande ultimately landed the part.In a new interview with The New York Times, Erivo, 37, and Grande, 31, spoke about the casting process.Asked how they reacted after learning the other one had been cast, Erivo responded, “Absolutely no surprise whatsoever.”“I said, ‘Thank God,'” Grande recalled.

Erivo then made a dig at the other women who were being considered to play Glinda in the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical.“Thank goodness, because it was not the two ladies that I was auditioning with,” Erivo said, implying that two other actresses that auditioned to play Oz’s famed Good Witch were not up to snuff.

The remark left Grande gobsmacked.“Oh my God!” she said.“Thank Goodness” is also the name of a song in “Wicked.”Aside from Grande, actresses Amanda Seyfried, Dove Cameron, Reneé Rapp and Taylor Louderman also auditioned for the role of Glinda, according to reports.Erivo went on to reveal that she didn’t think she would be considered to play Elphaba.

“Historically, Black women have never really been seen for the role,” she said.“If they have, they haven’t gotten the role, and if they do, they usually are the alternate or first cover.

There’s only one woman I know on record that has done it on the West End [in London].So I just didn’t think they were looking for me.”Erivo added that, while she didn’t know why so few black women have been considered for the role since the show’s debut in 2004, she suggested, “Maybe it’s a symptom of the time when it was made.”The Broadway vet has been making headlines while promoting “Wicked,” which hits theaters Nov.

22.After a fan-edited version of the movie’s poster, which obscured Erivo’s eyes, went viral, the star took to her Instagram story to express her outrage.“This is the wildest, most offensive thing I ha...