The awards strategy for the stars of Wicked: For Good, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, has been set, aiming to maximize their chances at the Academy Awards. For the 2024 film Wicked, both leading ladies received nominations for major awards including the Critics Choice, SAG, Golden Globe, and BAFTA, in addition to Oscar nods, after being promoted in the same categories. To avoid a similar direct competition this year, the film’s awards campaign teams have decided to strategically separate them into different acting categories for the upcoming Oscar race.
Following the precedent set by the campaign for last year’s film, Erivo, who plays the pivotal role of Elphaba Thropp (the future Wicked Witch of the West), will be promoted in the Best Actress category. Conversely, Grande, who stars as Glinda Upland (Glinda the Good), will be pushed for a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category. This decision was based partly on their screen time in director Jon M. Chu’s highly-anticipated sequel, which Universal is scheduled to release nationwide on November 21.
Strategic Split: Wicked Stars’ Oscar Campaigns Revealed
