‘Wicked’ Actresses Set Awards Categories: Cynthia Erivo Lead, Ariana Grande Supporting (Exclusive)

The two actresses at the center of Wicked — Jon M. Chu ’s highly-anticipated movie adaptation of the smash-hit Broadway musical, which Universal will release nationwide on Nov. 22 — will not be going head-to-head in the same acting category this awards season, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

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A decision has been made to push Cynthia Erivo , the Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress who will be portraying Elphaba (who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West), in the lead actress category, and Ariana Grande , the Grammy-winning and SAG Award-nominated actress who will be playing Glinda (who becomes the Good Witch), in the supporting category.

This path differs from the one enforced upon the original Broadway production by the Tony Awards Administration Committee 20 years ago. Back then, Idina Menzel , who created Elphaba, and Kristin Chenoweth , who originated Glinda, both competed in the category of best actress in a musical; both received nominations; and Menzel ended up winning.

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However, the strategy for the upcoming film makes a lot of sense, given that only five films have ever managed to land noms for multiple actresses alongside each other in the best actress Oscar category — only All About Eve (1950), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), The Turning Point (1977), Terms of Endearment (1983) and Thelma & Louise (1991) — and how competitive this year’s female acting categories are shaping up to be.

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