Harvey Guillén Looks Back on Being an Understudy in WICKED in Japan

Harvey Guillén is looking back on his time as an undersudy in a Japanese production of Wicked.

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly for their 2023 Pride issue cover story interview, Guillén revealed one his first jobs was understudying the role of the Wizard in a production of Wicked at Universal Studios in Japan.

While the American Musical and Dramatic Academy prohibited students from auditioning for professional productions while they are students, Guillén "secretly auditioned" to sign a year long contract at the theme park.

He was first assigned to play a 13-year-old in Sesame Street and then the John Belushi character in a Blues Brothers show before being cast as the understudy for the Wizard in Wicked.

"I was like, 'Isn't the wizard like 68?!'" he laughed. "I was like, 'So [I'm playing] 13, 35... I'm just going to age in one year — just completely go through a lifespan of a human being. Yeah, that's called range."

Guillén proved that the role has stuck with him by singing "Sentimental Man" in Japanese from memory. Read the full interview and watch him sing the song here.

Guillén plays Guillermo on the Vampire comedy "What We Do in the Shadows." He's also known for roles in "The Internship," Syfy's "The Magicians," HBO's "Room 104," Apple TV Plus' "Little America," Nickelodeon's "The Thundermans," MTV's Eye Candy," Netflix's "Truth or Dare" and Fox's "Raising Hope." He was also seen as George in "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist."

A shortened version of Wicked had previously been performed at Universal Studios Japan. It opened in 2006 before closing in 2011 along with the "Land of Oz" area in the theme park.