Amanda Seyfried is opening up about her experience auditioning for the role of Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie, and she has no shortage of hard work to share.
During a recent episode of the Backstage’s In the Envelope podcast on June 19, Seyfried, 39, reflected on her journey through multiple auditions for movie musicals. She revealed that she auditioned six times for the role of Cosette in the 2012 movie musical Les Misérables, and she put in the same effort for Wicked.
“I’m in that privileged spot where I just don’t have to [audition],” she said. “But I like, of course, I talked about this a lot. I auditioned like six times for Wicked.”
A Long Road to the Role
Seyfried shared that the process for landing the role of Glinda was particularly intense because she “loved” the character and wanted to make sure everything was perfect.
“It had to be really just right,” she said, adding, “I was busy. I barely had time to do it, but I made it work. I worked my ass off for years and years on that music.”
She also admitted to being “competitive” with herself in a healthy way, pushing herself to be the best she could be throughout the process.
Glinda Audition Experience
This isn’t the first time Seyfried has discussed her audition for Wicked. Back in March 2023, she opened up on the Happy Sad Confused podcast about her audition experience, saying that she even got the chance to sing with Cynthia Erivo during the tryouts.
“I was able to really prepare, and I’m telling you, I’ve never felt that solid in my voice than I did at the auditions. And that’s kind of what I got out of it,” Seyfried said.
She added that even though she didn’t land the role, singing “Defying Gravity” every day at home has become part of her routine. “I also got to sing with Cynthia, and that was a moment in itself,” she said.
The Role Went to Ariana Grande
Ultimately, the role of Glinda went to Ariana Grande. Both Grande and Erivo were nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, at the Oscars. Seyfried, though not cast, took pride in the experience, saying, “I think everything happens for a reason.”
A Tough Balancing Act
In 2022, Seyfried revealed that she was still auditioning for Glinda while filming The Dropout, for which she later won an Emmy Award. “On the weekends, I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of Wicked — because I wanted it that much,” she shared.
She continued, “I literally bent over backwards while playing the hardest role of my life. But I think it also taught me how far I’ve come as a singer, which I really wanted to prove.”
