Video: Stephanie Mills Says She Didn't Play Dorothy in THE WIZ Movie Due to 'Politics'

In a recent interview on Sway's Universe, Stephanie Mills, who is currently starring as Hermes in Hadestown on Broadway, discussed the backlash to the original production of The Wiz on Broadway, and why she didn't play the role in the 1978 film due to 'politics.' 

Discussing the reaction to The Wiz's original production, Mills says: "Even the Clive Barnes from the New York Times wrote that my breasts were too big and Judy Garland should come up out of her grave and slap me. They hated us. Oh my god, they hated The Wiz...the black cast. I received a lot of hate mail."

In the film version of the musical, the role of Dorothy instead went to Diana Ross. When a caller says that they always thought Mills didn't play the role in the film due to politics, Mills agrees: "Oh, absolutely it was. Diana [Ross] got whatever she wanted back then, and Berry [Gordy] really campaigned for her to do it. I was just a young... on Broadway, and I didn't really have music out at the time."

See the interview clip below!

About Stephanie Mills

Mills' meteoric rise to prominence began at age 17 when she stepped into the iconic silver slippers of Dorothy in the original Broadway production of The Wiz. In a run that lasted nearly five years, her spellbinding performance earned her critical acclaim and introduced her extraordinary talent to the world. There, under Broadway's bright lights, Mills' journey as a professional singer and actress took flight, leading her to record acclaimed albums and iconic tracks such as “What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin”, “Sweet Sensation”, and the Grammy-winning "Never Knew Love Like This Before.” A voice that effortlessly traverses the depths of emotion, Mills captured the hearts of millions with her platinum-selling albums and chart-topping singles. To continue honing her acting chops throughout her singing career, she also took to the road—starring in various touring productions—from Ragtime to David Talbert. Most recently, she was seen as Aunt Em in NBC’s “The Wiz: Live” and starred in Lifetime Networks “Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story” as Birdie Moore. Mill returned to Broadway to play Hermes in Hadestown for a limited run earlier this year.