Oscars 2024: “Wicked”–Cynthia Erivo for the Lead, Ariana Grande for the Supporting Oscar

September 15, 2024 by

Wicked: Cynthia Erivo for the Lead, Ariana Grande for the Supporting Oscar

The stars of the highly-anticipated movie musical will not go head-to-head in the way that Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth did for the Broadway production.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in 'Wicked'
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked.’ Universal Pictures/Everett Collection

A decision has been made to push Cynthia Erivo, the Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress who portrays Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West), in the lead actress category.

Meanwhile, Ariana Grande, the Grammy-winning and SAG Award-nominated actress, who plays Glinda (the Good Witch), in the supporting category.

This path differs from the one taken by the Tony Awards Administration Committee 20 years ago. Back then, Idina Menzel, who created Elphaba, and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated Glinda, competed in the category of best actress in a musical; both received nominations, and Menzel won.

In the Academy’s history, only five films have ever landed nominations for multiple actresses alongside each other in the best actress Oscar category: All About Eve (1950), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), The Turning Point (1977), Terms of Endearment (1983) and Thelma & Louise (1991).

My Oscar Book:

Of the five, only one movie ended up getting the Best Actress Oscar, Terms of Endearment, in which Shirley MacLaine won over Debra Winger.

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Filed Under: OSCAR