Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty; Universal Pictures
NEED TO KNOW
Lindsay Mendez praised Cynthia Erivo's portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked: For Good in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE
Mendez starred as the witchy character on Broadway, while Erivo portrays Elphaba in Wicked and its follow-up film
"It hit all my Wicked notes," Tony Award winner Mendez told PEOPLE of Wicked: For Good, in theaters now
Cynthia Erivodefied gravityandall ofLindsay Mendez's expectations with her latest portrayal of a character they both hold close to their hearts.
Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE during aspecial New York City screeningofMerrily We Roll Along,theTony Award-winning actress, 42, praised Erivo's portrayal ofElphabainWicked: For Good.
"I loved it," Mendez said, reacting to the second part of 2024'sWicked. "I think Cynthia is a goddess, and she's incredible, andAriana [Grande]'s incredible."
"It hit all myWickednotes," she continued. "It was phenomenal, and the fact that people are going to movies and seeing movie musicals is everything I could wish for."
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Wickedis based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which draws inspiration from the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which was in turn inspired by L. Frank Baum's 1900 novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Ozand its sequels, as well as the 1939Judy GarlandfilmThe Wizard of Oz.
Mendez starred as Elphaba (a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West) on Broadway from 2013 to 2014.Idina Menzeloriginated the role — andKristin Chenowethdid the same forGlinda(a.k.a. Glinda the Good Witch of the North) — whenWickedbegan performances in 2003.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Others who have portrayed Elphaba on Broadway over the years includeStephanie J. Block,Shoshana Bean, Kerry Ellis andJessica Vosk, to name a few. Lencia Kebede currently stars in the role, making her the first Black actress to play Elphaba full-time on Broadway.
Ervio brings life to Elphaba inWickedand its follow-up film, with Grande, 32, starring opposite her as Glinda.
Michael Loccisano/Getty; Araya Doheny/Getty
DuringWicked: One Wonderful Night, Erivo revealed that she developed a fever of 103 degrees over the course of her three-hour audition for Elphaba.
"Whatever I had left was in that room," the Oscar-nominated actress said during the recently aired NBC special.
Speakingwith PEOPLE, Bernard Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield, theWickedmovies' casting directors, recalled that Erivo "just nailed" her audition despite her illness, adding: "She did it, and she defied gravity."
Wicked: For Goodis in theaters now, whileWickedis available to purchase and stream.
Read the original article onPeople
