The cozy Metrograph Theater is at the corner of Chinatown and Who-knows-where, but a lot of A-listers showed up tonight for a screening of “Wicked” with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Peter Dinklage, producer Marc Platt, and director Jon M. Chu.
Presented a low key event in out of the way place, “Wicked” turned up the Oscar heat. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively brought a couple of their daughters. Brooke Shields popped in, so did Joe Pantoliano, famed composer Carter Burwell, and a large contingent of Academy voters.
“Wicked” may have $266 million in the bank, but now they want nominations.
There’s no doubt they will get them, too, as this group is ready to pitch in. Big Pop Star Ariana told me that despite having a lot of pop hits she loves singing Broadway showtunes. “That’s where it all started,” she reminded. I mentioned that she sampled “My Favorite Things” in one of her songs, which rocked her memory. “Well, in a way!” she said. This is the second time I met her this year, and she is totally delightful.
I was very eager to see Cynthia Erivo, who’s staring a Best Actress nod down her broom. Her Elphaba is just a straight line from her Tony Award win in “The Color Purple” on Broadway. How does she feel about being in such a huge hit, I asked? Isn’t it time for Universal or the producers to send her a big gift marking the occasion?
Erivo joked, “I’ll take an Hermes bag! A Birkin!”
Director Chu told me he’s just started editing Part 2 for release a year from now. I complained that the Wizard in these versions has gone from affable con man to really bad guy. Can’t he do anything about that? (‘Fraid not.) Chu also told me it doesn’t look like we’ll ever see a sequel to his classic comedy hit, “Crazy Rich Asians.”
“We couldn’t a script,” he said. “We had a few versions.” Nothing with Gemma Chan picking up the baton? He said, “I don’t think people want to see a story about really rich people right now. And so much time has passed, we’d have to take a lot in.”
I did tell Peter Dinklage I watched him over the weekend in “Elf.” His review: “It’s the Citizen Kane of Christmas movies. A classic.” Did he love making it? “What do you think?” he replied.
