New WICKED Promo Gives Fans a Look at the Stars' Lifelong Fandom and the Moments They Were Hired for the Lead Roles
A new Wicked promo has been released ahead of the film’s release later this month. It focuses on the road each of the stars took to get to the roles of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande).
Each of them were fans of The Wizard of Oz, which naturally led to a love of the stage musical Wicked. They are both so incredibly talented, and it’s fun to see the director, Jon M. Chu, offer the parts to each of them over zoom.
Wicked tells the untold story of the witches of Oz including Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths.
Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future.
Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
The film also stars Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots), and a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman).
Check out the new promo below, and watch Wicked: Part 1 when it’s released in theaters on November 22nd.