Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire is one of those few books that have made a successful adaptation to another source of media. In the case of Wicked, that form of media is the stage. There has been talk of turning the musical into a film for years, and it has been in and out of “production” for ages. This is my dream casting for the book version of Wicked.
While Glinda may initially appear shallow, vain and snobbish, she is quite intelligent. She is quite involved in the first half of the novel, but during the second half, all but disappears. Glinda needs to be portrayed by a character actor, preferably with a stage background, and Laura Osnes fits that role perfectly. She has portrayed a variety characters on the stage, varying from Cinderella to Bonnie, in Bonnie and Clyde. Laura can sing, dance, and act. Glinda requires quite a bit of physical movement, poise and a large amount of character to her. Whether they choose to turn the film into a musical or base it upon the book, Laura can portray the role of Glinda well. Due to her stage, as well as television, background and variety, Laura is able to move well, is able to capture her audience’s attention and can switch into different characters easily. This role is suited perfectly for Laura, and Laura is suited perfectly for this role.
This was a difficult one. The role of Elphaba needs someone who can play tough, but who also is able to convey emotions easily. Olivia has proven this many times, including in her portrayal of Thirteen in television’s House, and also in several other roles, including Quorra in Tron: Legacy. The role of Elphie requires the actress to really bring the character to life, with some of Elphie’s primary characteristics including strength, vulnerability, and certain emotions, including grief, resentment, happiness and more. Olivia is capable of doing these, as mentioned earlier. Another important factor of the role of Elphie is that of her looks. Her looks are a frequent topic, and Elphie has a very unique look (including green skin). Olivia is rather like a chameleon, she also seems to suit most looks that are required for her characters. This is another reason she is more than suited for the role of Elphaba.
Fiyero is a prince from Winkie Country. He is, as noted by Boq, the only Vinkus student they’d seen. Fiyero eventually marries to someone by the name of Sarima, and they have several children together. He is unhappy in the marriage, and eventually begins an affair with Elphaba. Fiyero is brutally murdered, presumably due to his affiliation with Elphaba. The role of Fiyero requires of a bit of mysteriousness, yet eloquence and romance, all of which Tom has proven he is fully capable of. With his role as Ichabod Crane in television’s Sleepy Hollow, he has proven that he can act, and act well. He is able to portray a variety of emotions, which is greatly needed. He can switch from dark and brooding, to happy – just like that.
Other people I’d like to see cast include Anne Hathaway as Nessa-Rose, Bernadette Peters or Judi Dench as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Bridges as the Wizard. It’d be brilliant if this, or even the musical version, were to eventually be turned into a film. It would translate brilliantly to the screen, if done properly.