How Jonathan Bailey Filmed His Self-Tape for Wicked Just Minutes Before Stepping on Stage — and Won the Role
Jonathan Bailey’s rise from stage darling to global movie star has been nothing short of remarkable, and now, his latest revelation has only deepened fans’ admiration for his talent and work ethic. During NBC’s special Wicked: One Wonderful Night, the 36-year-old British actor — recently crowned one of People magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive — shared the unbelievable story of how he auditioned for the role of Prince Fiyero in the upcoming Wicked film.
He did it, as he told audiences, “five minutes before going on stage” for a live performance in London’s West End. No fancy setup. No lighting crew. No rehearsal takes. Just Bailey, his phone camera, a song from the world’s most beloved musical, and a few minutes before the curtain went up on another show.
The clip, which aired publicly for the first time during the NBC special on November 6, showed Bailey sitting casually in his dressing room, looking relaxed but focused, before launching into his rendition of “Dancing Through Life,” Fiyero’s most iconic number. Wearing a simple black shirt and flashing the confidence that would later define his performance, Bailey smiled into the camera and gave it his all — a raw, spontaneous audition that would ultimately land him one of the most coveted roles in modern musical cinema.
“I did it at the five-minute call,” Bailey laughed while speaking during the segment. “I was in the middle of doing another play and thought, if I don’t do this now, I’ll never get it done. So I just sang, pressed record, and hoped for the best.” The casual tone of his words belied the moment’s significance. What began as a last-minute decision became a career-defining choice.
His Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo — who play Glinda and Elphaba, respectively — were visibly astonished. “You did that during your five-minute call?” Erivo asked, wide-eyed. Bailey simply nodded. “Yeah,” he said, smiling modestly. “Sometimes you just have to do it.”
That simple sentence, “Sometimes you just have to do it,” has since resonated with fans. In an industry where auditions can be elaborate productions, full of rehearsals, coaching, and careful lighting, Bailey’s unpolished, instinctive approach reminded audiences of something pure: raw talent and timing can still outshine perfection.
The now-viral clip, first posted by NBC and later shared by Bailey himself on Instagram, quickly became a favorite among musical-theatre fans. Many praised his effortless charm and how he managed to capture Fiyero’s easygoing charisma in just a few seconds of footage. “He is Fiyero,” one fan commented. Another wrote, “Imagine being so talented that you can casually tape a blockbuster audition before curtain call.”
For Bailey, this wasn’t just another role — it was a long-awaited return to musical roots. Before Netflix’s Bridgerton catapulted him to international fame as the dashing Viscount Anthony, Bailey was already a celebrated theatre performer in the U.K. He had won the 2019 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance in Company, proving that his musical abilities were as strong as his dramatic ones.
Landing Fiyero in Wicked was a full-circle moment, uniting his love of theatre with the grandeur of film. The two-part movie adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, is one of Hollywood’s most anticipated releases. The first part is scheduled for November 2025, with the second following in 2026. Bailey’s inclusion added a spark that fans didn’t know they needed — the charm of a West End leading man blended with the cinematic polish of a Hollywood favorite.
His journey to Wicked, however, wasn’t easy. As Bailey revealed to People, he filmed his audition while balancing multiple commitments. Between rehearsals, performances, and filming other projects, his schedule was relentless. “It was one of those weeks where everything collided,” he said. “There wasn’t a single free hour.” But he didn’t want to miss the opportunity — not for this role. “I thought, ‘If I don’t try, I’ll regret it forever.’”
That spirit of determination defines Bailey’s approach to acting. From the emotionally layered characters he’s portrayed to the discipline of live performance, he’s built a career on authenticity and risk-taking. And it’s that authenticity that seems to have caught the eye of Wicked’s producers. Jon M. Chu later said that Bailey’s self-tape “was magic” — a blend of humor, heart, and musical control that made him stand out instantly. “You could see he understood Fiyero from the first note,” Chu told reporters. “It wasn’t about perfection. It was about truth, and Jonathan delivered that in 30 seconds.”
Behind the scenes, Bailey’s Wicked experience has been one of collaboration and camaraderie. He has often spoken about his admiration for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, calling them “two of the most extraordinary talents of our time.” Both have praised him in return, describing him as generous, funny, and deeply committed. “We all instantly clicked,” Erivo said during the NBC special. “There’s a trust and joy on this set that’s rare.”
Fans of Wicked know that Fiyero is more than a charming prince. His character evolves from carefree rebel to a man capable of deep love and sacrifice. Bailey’s interpretation, if early glimpses are any indication, brings a modern sensitivity to the role — confident yet emotionally aware. For a generation that knows him as the brooding Viscount from Bridgerton, this performance could mark a bold reinvention.
The story of his audition has also become an emblem of seizing opportunity. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best moments come from chaos — from those hurried, imperfect spaces between obligations. Bailey himself reflected on that during the special. “There’s no perfect moment to go after what you want,” he said. “You just have to make it happen.”
His fans, meanwhile, have celebrated his humility and humor. One viral comment on the NBC clip joked, “Jonathan Bailey could’ve filmed that on a potato and still gotten the part.” Another read, “Somewhere, every actor is thinking, ‘I need that kind of confidence.’”
As the release of Wicked: Part One approaches, Bailey’s name has become one of the film’s biggest talking points. His audition story — unplanned, unfiltered, and full of charm — perfectly mirrors the message at the heart of Wicked itself: that courage often looks different than we expect. It’s not always grand or rehearsed; sometimes, it’s simply showing up when the world gives you five minutes and saying, “Let’s go.”
For Jonathan Bailey, that quick decision led to a defining role and a new chapter in an already remarkable career. The video that started it all — filmed in a cramped dressing room before another show — now feels like a piece of cinematic history in the making. Fans have replayed it countless times, not just for the singing but for what it represents: the spark of creative instinct that turns a moment of chance into something unforgettable.
In the years to come, when audiences watch him dance across the screen as Fiyero, they’ll know that behind the glamour, there was once a man in a quiet London room, racing against time, trusting his instincts, and daring to believe that five minutes could change his life.
