Danna Paola’s role as Elphaba in ‘Wicked’ kept her from becoming a chef

Danna Paola began her acting career in 1999 at the age of 4 in Plaza Sésamo, the Mexican version of Sesame Street. The following year she was cast in the telenovela, Rayito de Luz, and in 2001, she starred her first lead role in the children’s telenovela, María Belén.

Her breakout success in acting came with Amy, la niña de la mochila Azul; after filming other shows, Danna Paola’s transition from children’s to teen telenovelas came. She released two music albums and lend her voice to “Rapunzel” for the Spanish-language Disney film Tangled, but the Mexican singer and actress wasn’t sure if her call was in the entertainment industry or if she wanted to become a chef.

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Therefore, the ultimate decision was in the hands of a witch. In 2013, the 26-years-old star auditioned for the role of Elphaba in the Mexican production of the Broadway musical Wicked. According to Danna Paola, the casting results would determine her next steps.

In a conversation with Juanpa Zurita on his podcast No Hagas Lo Fácil, the star said she was determined to have a radical decision. “I told my dad, ‘If I get this role, I promise you, I will continue with my career for the rest of my life,’” Danna Paola said. “If not, I’ll dedicate myself to being a chef.”

Once at the audition, the casting director shared with Danna his thoughts. “I will tell you something, but I don’t want you to get offended,” he said. According to the star, the casting director admitted that he didn’t know who she was, but he loved her audition and gave her the Wicked Witch of the West role.

Danna Paola became the youngest person to play the character at 18 and performed in Wicked over 300 times. During its first ten weeks, “Wicked” sold over 100,000 tickets, breaking a box office record. The theatrical production became one of the most successful in Mexico’s history.