Jon M. Chu Discusses the Chemistry Between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
Jon M. Chu instantly recognized Arianda Grande and Cynthia Erivo as his ideal Glinda and Elphaba from the Wicked films.
The filmmaker claimed that the studio didn’t put any pressure on him when it came to casting choices, and Cynthia, 38, and Ariana, 32, won him over right away with their chemistry together as well as separately.
He said on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast: “I initially believed that anyone could participate. We were never under pressure from the studio regarding names or following. Not a single word.
You can feel it in your bones when Cynthia enters the room and begins to sing. And there was no doubt when Ari sat there and transformed into Glinda.
“I got to see it on day four, so I knew what everyone else was seeing now.”
Working with his own hand-picked crew was a dream come true, according to Jon, who collaborated closely on the films with composers John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, editor Myron Kerstein, and cinematographer Alice Brooks.
“We are all underdogs,” he clarified. We are accustomed to the fact that no one in the company has complete faith in us. The next film is always your chance to prove yourself. That kind of thinking motivates us rather than depresses us.
It’s about having the ability to feel uneasy in such unknowable situations while knowing that you’re well protected. Everyone tries to preserve their own reputation, even if they are strangers. However, we live in an uncomfortable world. We look for that item.
Additionally, he will always remember the experience of filming the Wicked films.
“It stays with you when you dream about it and wake up with nightmares right in front of you after living with it for more than five years,” he said. I still haven’t processed it.
