You could say that Ethan Slater's yellow brick road to getting cast in had an element of magic to it.
On the day he was asked to submit a tape of himself for the role of Boq, Slater was playing the part of actor Christopher Fitzgerald's identical twin in a table read for a potential musical. Fitzgerald originated the role of Boq in 鈥淲icked鈥� on Broadway. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 tell him about it 鈥榗ause I didn鈥檛 want to explain when I didn鈥檛 get it,'鈥� admitted Slater. Instead, he marked the occasion by asking Fitzgerald to take a selfie with him for seemingly no reason, which he still has.
After getting the job, Slater was determined to master the delicate dance of keeping the essence of Fitzgerald in a role that was now his.
鈥淚 look up to him so much,鈥� Slater said of Fitzgerald. 鈥淚 wanted to honor the Boq he created who鈥檚 just, like, a burst of energy. But I also wanted to make him my own because I could never be Chris Fitzgerald. He's too singular and too amazing. It would be a fool鈥檚 errand to try to be him.鈥�
In turn, Fitzgerald, who has seen the film, gave Slater's performance a glowing review. Slater says he plans to print and frame a text message that Fitzgerald sent him afterward.
鈥淓than has this perfect balance of soulfulness and funny bones as an actor,鈥� Fitzgerald said in an email to the AP. 鈥淗is Boq is earnest, daffy, and generous of heart. It was such a pleasure and a gift to watch a pal use the spirit of something that鈥檚 come before and spin it into something new and wholly original. He is Boq.鈥�
鈥淲icked鈥� is a prequel to the events of 鈥淲izard of Oz.鈥� and Jonathan Bailey plays a prince, Fiyero, who encounters Glinda and Elphaba at school.
The story was conceived by Gregory Macguire for a novel called 鈥淲icked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.鈥�
Slater says filming the big-budget movie directed by ("Crazy Rich Asians" and actually felt much smaller. At its heart, the cast is just a bunch of theater kids who love to perform.
鈥淚 keep quoting Johnny Bailey who said while we were shooting, 鈥榠t just feels like a student film until suddenly it doesn鈥檛,'" said Slater.
Erivo, Grande, Bailey and Slater all come from a musical theater background. In 2018, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his leading performance in 鈥淪pongeBob SquarePants" on Broadway. He was also in the revival of 鈥淪pamalot" in 2023.
鈥淲e all cared so much. We cared in the way that theater kids care and want to protect this show and want the opportunity to do it. It was really, really joyful and familial," said Slater.
Because the experience was so magical, Slater said the actors find themselves reminiscing even when they're not promoting it.
鈥淕oing to dinner last night, we were all still talking about 鈥榃icked,鈥� and it鈥檚 like another theater kid thing, you know, hyper-fixating on this thing that we love so much," he said.
The actors sang live on set which Slater said makes for a better performance.
鈥淵ou are using your voice in the same way from scene into song, into scene. And there鈥檚 no break at all. You鈥檙e not thinking about syncing. You鈥檙e not thinking about dubbing later. You鈥檙e just performing it," he said.
鈥淲icked,鈥� premiering Nov. 22, will be released in two parts. The second film is scheduled for a November 2025 debut.
Slater recognizes that breaking up the film is a 鈥渃ontroversial decision.鈥�
"I empathize with that, but when you see this movie, I think it鈥檚 a really full movie with a beginning, middle and end. You get to know these characters and love these characters. I think the first thing you鈥檙e going to want to do is watch the movie a second time. I鈥檓 on pins and needles waiting for the second one."
On screen, Boq has an unrequited crush on Glinda. Off screen, Slater and Grande are a couple in real life.
鈥淗er fans are going to be blown away," he said. "Anybody who鈥檚 a fan of Ariana knows how talented she is. They know that she has, you know, one of the best voices, of our generation 鈥� or ever 鈥� and can do anything with it. I think that her acting is like above and beyond. It鈥檚 incredible. Her comedy is ridiculous."
Slater also stars in the film 鈥淟ost on a Mountain in Maine," now in theaters. And he's developing 鈥渁 really beautiful play about humanity鈥� where he would star as French mime Marcel Marceau.
鈥淭he thing in theater is you can鈥檛 really celebrate it until opening night and then you really shouldn鈥檛 until it closes either. But we鈥檙e really excited about its future, and hopefully there will be more news about it soon.鈥�
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
