Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo Both Got Covid On The Set Of Wicked, But Grande’s Timing Couldn’t Have Been Worse

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As a gamer with a keen interest in both gaming and musicals, I find myself captivated by the rollercoaster ride that is the production of “Wicked.” The parallels between the high-stakes world of game development and movie making are striking – both require meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and a sprinkle of luck to overcome unexpected obstacles.

The vibrant world of Broadway theater plays a significant role in shaping American popular culture, with film musicals earning prestigious accolades such as Best Picture and other top honors throughout history. This encompasses not only mainstream hits like Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked, but also more unconventional musical productions. Interestingly, a movie adaptation of the prequel to The Wizard of Oz, titled Wicked, is set to release this month, with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo spearheading the cast. Unfortunately for Grande, she contracted Covid-19 on the film set, and her timing could not have been more unfortunate.

Information about the upcoming ‘Wicked’ films is scarce, but dedicated fans of the stage musical anticipate a faithful portrayal of its first act. Filming for director Jon M. Chu’s dual movies encountered delays due to strikes and health issues with both lead actresses. In an interview with The New York Times, Ariana Grande disclosed that she fell ill just before filming the iconic song “Popular” as Glinda. In her own words:

We each fell ill only once, and interestingly, these instances occurred prior to some of the most crucial scenes in the entire film. My illness happened a week before ‘Popular,’ and on my last days of recovery, I showed up on set wearing a mask to learn the finale in the hallway. This joke may not have been popular with others, but I adored it so much that I’ll share it: You might remember this incident – we were together in our dorm room, and I sang into her ear, ‘Stay positive!’ But rest assured, by then, I wasn’t positive anymore. I had taken the test to confirm.

oh my, quite a challenge! Glinda’s famous tune from the musical “Wicked,” titled “Popular,” seems to have Grande performing some physically demanding moves according to the movie trailers. On top of that, film sets can be exhausting, and with the added strain of battling Covid, it proved to be a tough period for Ariana. Thankfully, she recovered in time to record the number.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: Just like Ariana Grande and I (Cynthia Erivo), who both put a lot of thought into our on-screen looks, we had an unfortunate shared experience – getting unwell during filming. Specifically, my big number, “Defying Gravity,” was affected by illness, much like how Grande’s performances were impacted as well.

I got Covid the week before I shot ‘Defying Gravity.’ It was literally like, ‘Sit down, Cynthia, not yet.’

As a gamer, I’ve got to admit that the whole experience of watching the first “Wicked” movie footage was nerve-wracking yet captivating. Given the live performances by both Grande and Erivo on set, I can only imagine the pressure they were under. To make things even more challenging, they didn’t have the luxury of lip-syncing to prerecorded tracks while battling Covid – talk about a double whammy! But luckily, everything seems to have worked out just fine, and the final product looks absolutely stunning.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t wait to see how these two talented actresses bounced back after their health issues when the first Wicked movie premieres in theaters on November 22nd. Until then, let’s mark our calendars for its 2025 release dates!

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2024-11-07 21:37