10 Actors Who Will Definitely Ruin Upcoming Movies
3. Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande - Wicked: Part One
A big-screen adaptation of the hit musical Wicked is currently shooting, though it's fair to say that reactions to the central casting announcements were... wildly mixed to say the least.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have been cast in the roles of witches Elphaba and Glinda, and while there's absolutely no doubt that Erivo and Grande have the vocal chops to do musical justice to the songs, that doesn't mean they're right for these roles.
Many were surprised to see the 36-year-old Erivo cast in the role of Elphaba, given that a large bulk of the musical's first act will revolve around Elphaba and Glinda living as roommates in college.
And given that Wicked is being split into two movies, we can reasonably assume that this section of the film will be lengthened considerably in Part One.
The potential for unintentional hilarity, just as with 27-year-old Ben Platt playing a high-schooler in Dear Evan Hansen, speaks for itself.
It's a problem exacerbated by Grande's youthful appearance, and so the clear gulf of age between the two actors could make it impossible to take them seriously as college roommates.
And while Grande looks age-appropriate enough to play Glinda, even with her musical talent her casting can't help but feel a little cynical, in the hope that roping in a pop mega-star will boost the film's box office.
Ultimately Erivo and Grande are odd choices separately, but together they're a totally mismatched pair, and it isn't easy to picture this combination working out.