Kristin Chenoweth has a brilliant idea for her and Idina Menzel to make a cameo in the upcoming Wicked movie. Chenoweth and Menzel rose to fame playing opposite each other as Glinda and Elphaba in the inaugural Broadway production of Wicked. After opening in 2003, the musical's success immediately defied gravity, breaking box office numbers and racking up three Tony awards along the way. Speculation of a movie adaption began as soon as 2004, but though the musical still shines on Broadway, a film version has yet to be made nearly eighteen years later.
Following several failed attempts, Universal Studios announced that Wicked would finally hit theaters on December 22, 2021. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic forced production to stop and once again reroute. In February of that year, In the Heights movie musical director Jon M. Chu signed on to direct. The world waited with bated breath to find out who the onscreen witches would be. On November 4, it was announced that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda and Elphaba. Almost immediately, fans wondered if the popular show's original stars would appear in the film.
Tony-winner Kristin Chenoweth pitched an epic idea for how she and Menzel could be in the movie adaption while speaking with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. The powerhouse told the host that she thinks they should appear briefly, recreating the Broadway show's iconic poster, which shows Glinda whispering into Elphaba's ear. The Wicked discussion starts around 1:20 in the video below:
Click here to watch the interview on YouTube.
Chenoweth says she thinks it would be cool to have the camera pan by her and Menzel in the background at one point. When the camera hits them, she whispers something into Menzel's ear. As Broadway fans will know, the musical's emblematic poster is a tableau showing Glinda whispering into Elphaba's ear. Chenoweth's cameo idea is the definition of a cameo. However, the fans (and Fallon himself) are hoping for a more substantial appearance versus an easter egg.
While it's a great bit, Chenoweth could have a more prominent role in the film by playing Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University. It's a more sinister role and one that the star has said she'd be open to playing in the past. This would not only give Chenoweth more screen time but allow fans to hear her gorgeous voice tackle new material in the show. If the film takes this route, it's unclear what Menzel's role could be. What's certain is that both of the Broadway stars have publicly congratulated the next generation of Elphaba and Glinda and vehemently support the Wicked movie. Only time will tell if they're in it.