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Ariana Grande Rejected ‘Wicked’ Composer Stephen Schwartz’s Idea of Wanting to Make a Hip-Hop Version of “Popular”
The Hollywood ReporterStory by Lexi Carson
scrn logline
Ariana Grande rejects 'Wicked' composer's idea to 'hip-hop up' the iconic song 'Popular', insisting on staying true to the original Broadway show.
beat sheet
- Composer Stephen Schwartz wanted to give the song 'Popular' a modern hip-hop twist, but Grande shut it down, adamantly wanting to portray Glinda as written on stage, not as 'Ariana Grande playing Glinda'.
- Despite initial hesitation from director Jon M. Chu about casting a pop star like Grande in the lead role, she impressed him with her comedic chops and deep understanding of the Glinda character, ultimately earning the part.
call sheet
Ariana Grande, Stephen Schwartz, Cynthia Erivo, Kristin Chenoweth, Jon M. Chu, Universal, Wicked