Yahoo Lifestyle Jon M. Chu Just Revealed That He Got “Many Calls” From Lin-Manuel Miranda Asking For A Cameo In “Wicked”
Last year, Lin-Manuel Miranda exposed his exceptional talent at always managing to be in the room where it happened when he revealed that he was present at the very first Wicked cast dinner between Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jon M. Chu.
The cast signings were so fresh that Ari still had her brunette hair, and nobody at the table had any way of knowing just how much of a phenomenon Wicked — and the now infamous press tour — would become.
For reference, Lin and Jon have been good friends since Jon directed the movie adaptation of Lin’s hit stage musical In the Heights, which was released in 2021.
Sharing a selection of photos to mark Wicked’s release in November — including one from this fateful dinner — Lin told his Instagram followers: “I found myself in London for a night in 2022 and texted Chu because I knew he was in prep.”
“He was like ‘I’m actually on my way to dinner w Ari and Cynthia for the FIRST TIME, come with me,’” Lin added. “COME WITH ME? Who says that? So THAT is how I got to be a fly on the wall for the bread breaking of this incredible collaboration. Because Jon loves a team.”
The musical theater juggernaut was asked about this moment in a subsequent interview with Good Morning America, and he was more than happy to share some insight.
“That was so crazy,” he began. “Jon M. Chu directed In the Heights, and I was so proud of his work and he’s a really close friend. I was in London for a night, and I knew he was in prep, so I texted him. I was like: ‘Hey, I’m in London for the night, are you around?’ And he was like: ‘I’m on my way to have, like, my first sit-down dinner with Cynthia and Ariana, come with me.'”
Lin then referenced an iconic scene from the Wicked movie where Elphaba invites Glinda to join her on her trip to meet the Wizard, with Glinda initially pretending to politely decline before ultimately jumping on the train with enthusiasm.
“He fully Elphaba-ed me,” Lin laughed. “‘Come with me!’ I was like: ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly… OK, all right, I’m going!’ And I got on the train with him.”
“I was at dinner, and we actually still have a text thread from that dinner,” the star then revealed. “It’s called ‘One Short Night’ in my phone. I was very lucky to just kind of be at the beginning of that journey for them.”
Lin went on to add that even though it was so early into production, there was already a notable bond between Cynthia and Ariana.
And now, Jon has revealed that Lin wanted his involvement in Wicked to go beyond just a cast dinner.
In fact, the director had to reject his friend after he repeatedly asked for a cameo in the movie, which Jon feared would be “too distracting.”
Per Variety, Jon says in the commentary of Wicked’s digital edition that Lin made “many calls” pitching himself to be the Munchkinland citizen who asks Glinda at the beginning of the film: “Is it true you were her [Elphaba’s] friend?”
“I got many calls from Lin,” Jon said. “He might have even tweeted about it.”
After explaining why he ultimately decided to say no, Jon purportedly added: “Sorry, Lin!”
It’s true that Lin did tweet about wanting the role as soon as the movie adaptation of Wicked was announced back in June 2016.
At the time, Lin addressed Stephen Daldry, who was originally attached as the film’s director, and wrote: “Dear Stephen Daldry: Can I play the guy who goes, 'Is it true you were her FRIEND?!'"
The small but important role of the so-called “Skeptical Munckin” ultimately went to Kirsty Anne Shaw, who just has two other acting credits to her name.
Do you think that Jon made the right decision? Let me know in the comments!
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