A Wicked: For Good Theory Predicts Who Will Play The Cowardly Lion

Ever since the Cowardly Lion made his debut in the Wicked: For Good trailer, fans felt the need to protect the adorable scaredy-cat and his big, fretful eyes from all that troubles him.

If you know the Broadway musical (and spoilers ahead if you don’t!), you know that he’s the same lion that Elphaba and Fiyero rescued from Shiz, all grown up. While his fellow travelers on the Yellow Brick Road, Scarecrow and Tin Man, are transformed versions of people we met in Part 1 — Fiyero and Boq, respectively — the lion is an animated character whose voice actor hasn’t yet been revealed.

Of course, with Wicked: For Good arriving on Nov. 21, that will soon change. In a new interview with Deadline, director Jon M. Chu didn’t share who plays the Cowardly Lion — but he did tease that the voice actor will make waves.

Expect A Big Name

As Deadline reports, Chu reached out to the “celebrated actor” via Instagram DM. “I was like, ‘It’s not a ton of lines, but maybe you have a little time. I know you’re busy. I’ll come to you,’” Chu recalled. “He was like, ‘Why the f*ck not, let’s go!’ And then we went ahead and recorded the lines.”

Chu also teased: “Man, wait until the red carpet when the actor who gave us the Cowardly Lion’s voice steps foot on it. It’ll be wild.”

The intrigue! While Chu’s comments may be safely broad — narrowing down the potential pool to, well, actors who have Instagram — fans wasted no time speculating about the Cowardly Lion’s voice actor. And there are some compelling predictions.

Theories Are Flying

One popular theory is that Lin-Manuel Miranda might play the Cowardly Lion. Miranda and Chu previously worked together on the film adaptation of In the Heights, and earlier this year, Miranda confessed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he told Chu he’d love to be the Munchkin in “No One Mourns the Wicked” who asks, “Is it true you were her friend?”

Miranda laughed off his dashed hopes, acknowledging that his presence “would’ve been distracting.” But maybe voicing a lion, who, as Chu says, doesn’t talk that much anyway, is a different story?

“I would die of both laughter and joy if Lin got his wish,” one Redditor quipped. Another said they “badly” wanted it to be Miranda, too, urging Chu: “Please Jon, do not throw away your shot!”

Several fans put forth another Tony winner, Norbert Leo Butz, who originated the role of Fiyero on Broadway.

There’s precedent, of course. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, made cameos in Part 1. While several fans want Butz to play the lion, one voiced another hopeful idea: “I’m hoping he and Michelle Federer will be Fiyero’s parents and show up for the wedding, but if I can’t have him on screen I would 100% be okay with just his voice.” Butz and Federer married after working together on Wicked, where Federer originated the role of Nessarose.