Kristin Chenoweth originated the stage role of Glinda 20 years ago on Broadway, but now she has given her blessing to Ariana Grande to take over the role in the Wicked movie. There is even a cameo of Chenoweth in Wicked as a member of the Emerald City Players. In a meta moment, Chenoweth wanders through the crowd, encouraging everyone to sing, and stops to address Grande’s Glinda directly. When Glinda goes to sing, Chenoweth covers her mouth with her hand, a nod to her own time as Glinda, a character who loved to have the spotlight.
While Chenoweth’s musical cameo in Wicked was already exciting, the scene is actually so much better because it is not just a passing of the wand, but a musical reunion between Grande and Chenoweth. Almost a decade before Grande joined the cast of Wicked, she was in Hairspray Live!, which also starred Chenoweth, making their scene together in Wicked that much more meaningful.
Kristin Chenoweth & Ariana Grande Both Starred In Hairspray Live! Before Wicked
Chenoweth Played Velma Von Tussle & Grande Played Penny Pingleton
Hairspray Live! is one of the better live network musicals, and among the ensemble cast was Chenoweth and Grande. Chenoweth seemed to have so much fun playing the antagonist, former beauty queen Mrs. Velma Von Tussle. Chenoweth’s small size and angelic voice make Velma’s cartoonish snobbery and elitism even more surprising. Velma is like Glinda if the latter never learned to empathize. Velma does not share much screen time with Grande’s Penny Pingleton, but in their limited interactions, Velma domineers over Penny. Their interactions are oddly reminiscent of how Chenoweth’s Emerald City Player comically shushes Grande’s Glinda in Wicked.
Hairspray Live! Proved That Ariana Grande Was Perfect To Be Glinda After Kristin Chenoweth
Grande Could Sing, Dance, And Bring Laughs In A Live Performance
Grande brought her sweetness and comedic charm to Hairspray Live!‘s Penny Pingleton. Penny is a secondary character that can fade into the ensemble cast without the right casting, but Grande made the character pop. When Penny’s best friend, Tracy Turnblad (Maddie Baillio), says it’s her dream to audition, Penny replies that it’s her dream to “watch” Tracy audition. The unequivocal support is similar to how truly happy Grande’s Glinda is when Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) gets the invitation to meet the Wizard in Wicked. Glinda’s powerful friendship with Elphaba was started by Chenoweth and Grande gets to build on it.
Ariana Grande vs Kristin Chenoweth: Whose Glinda Is Better
Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana Grande both were fantastic as Glinda in their respective versions of Wicked, but which version is a better performance?
Grande brings a level of heat to the flirtation with her love interest, Seaweed J. Stubbs (Ephraim Sykes), that many versions of Penny play more for laughs. When Seaweed invites Tracy to his house because she passed out, Penny jumps on the opportunity to get an invitation by feigning faintness as well. This mastermind flirtation is reminiscent of Glinda’s first meeting with Fiyiero (Jonathan Bailey) when he first arrives. Perhaps because the movie version of “Dancing through Life” is changed from the original Wicked stage musical, but Grande’s Glinda has more chemistry with Fiyiero than Chenoweth’s did.
While playing Penny is not an obvious path to become Glinda, Grande got highlight every skill she would use as Glinda in Wicked. Grande was one of the standout performances in Hairspray Live!, dancing and singing flawlessly live, which was important as Grande sang live in Wicked. Hairspray Live! proved Grande has the comedic timing that Chenoweth infused into the role of Glinda, making Grande the worthy successor to Glinda’s crown.