The many Glindas

Wicked’s Glinda the Good Witch was highly sought after, with plenty of A-list actresses going for the role.

Amanda Seyfried, Renee Rapp and Dove Cameron were among the actresses to audition for Glinda, but it was Ariana Grande who won director Jon M. Chu over.

However, the singer had to convince the filmmaker she could “overcome” her popstar image before she was cast as the Good Witch.

He explained: “[She] had to overcome the Ariana Grande image in order to do it. And I know how hard it is.

“I’ve seen actors who do their first lead in a movie, and that’s not easy. That also takes skills and that takes actual craftsmanship. That experience can happen.”