Wicked: For Good or Bad?

Part 1: Spoiler Free!

Elphaba’s sister was originally enrolled at Shiz University, but when Elphaba joins the school too, she ends up sharing a room with Galinda. Despite their differences, Galinda and Elphaba manage to get along, and after the Oz Dust Ballroom dance, they become best friends. But things in Oz aren’t as perfect as they seem. New problems arise, and some can only be solved with Elphaba’s abilities. As Elphaba and Galinda journey throughout the Emerald City, discovering secrets and uncovering truths, will Elphaba’s powers turn out to be a curse or a gift?

Now that you know the summary of Wicked, whether you’ve seen it or not, we hope you’re excited for more! After the cliffhanger that left us all pleading for answers, the next chapter has finally arrived. Wicked: For Good, released on November 21, picks up right where the first movie left off. It projects a more intense film than the first, but still tells the story wonderfully.

Did you know that in the first Wicked movie, the cast actually sang live on set? That means every song you hear was performed while they were dancing, acting, and moving through the scenes. Another fun fact is that the set designer wanted to plant real tulips for the movie, instead of using computer effects, so more than 9 million tulips were planted for the opening scene during “No One Mourns the Wicked”. The rainbow-shaped arrangement of these tulips is said to reference the famous song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz.

According to sources, it usually took about 2 hours and 45 minutes to paint Elphaba green—sometimes up to 4 hours, depending on how much coverage was needed. Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, was determined to bring the character to life using real green makeup rather than relying on computer effects. She also has several noticeable ear piercings, which were covered with prosthetic ears during filming.

Costumes and hairstyles were carefully designed to reflect each character’s personality and powers. For example, Madame Morrible’s curly, white, cloud-like hair symbolizes her control over the weather. Glinda wears long pink and blue dresses and tall crowns, highlighting her desire to be popular and the center of attention. Nessa’s hair evolves from the first movie to a more serious style, reflecting her mother’s influence. Even Elphaba’s hat and cape grow slightly larger in Wicked: For Good, signaling her growing determination and power.

Many actresses auditioned for the role of Glinda, but Ariana Grande ultimately landed the part. Some of the other auditionees included Dove Cameron, Reneé Rapp, Amanda Seyfried, and Taylor Louderman. Dove Cameron, an American singer and actress who has appeared in numerous shows and movies, had loved the role since she was 7 and was excited to audition. Even though she didn’t get the part, she was supportive of Ariana Grande. Reneé Rapp, a singer, songwriter, and actress, was thrilled that Ariana Grande would be playing Glinda. Amanda Seyfried, also a singer, songwriter, and actress, was especially passionate about portraying Glinda and eager for the opportunity. Finally, actress Taylor Louderman was also very disappointed about not getting the role and even shared her feelings on social media. While each of these actresses had their own unique vision of Glinda, they all gave their best during the auditions and showed a lot of dedication to the role.

What about Elphaba? Who auditioned for her? Interestingly, Ariana Grande also tried out for the role of Elphaba! She had been preparing for the part, but a miscommunication with the director led her to audition for Glinda as well. Other actresses who auditioned for Elphaba included Cristin Milioti, Jordan Sparks, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, and, reportedly, Nicole Scherzinger and Lady Gaga were considered at one point.

Cristin Milioti, an American actress and singer who has performed on Broadway, was thrilled for Cynthia Erivo when she landed the role. Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, an actress, writer, and singer, shared the same excitement. Jordan Sparks, a singer, songwriter, and actress known for her albums and Broadway performances, also auditioned. Sources claim that Nicole Scherzinger and Lady Gaga were considered for the role as well, though they did not audition publicly.

Two new songs have been added to Wicked: For Good that weren’t in the Broadway show, making the new movie even more exciting. The songs are “No Place Like Home”, sung by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, and “The Girl in the Bubble”, sung by Ariana Grande as Glinda. Both performances are beautifully delivered and just as enjoyable as the rest of the soundtrack

Cynthia Erivo did her own stunts as Elphaba, just as Ariana Grande did for her performance of “Popular.” The two actors became close friends not only as their characters but also in real life. They even got multiple matching tattoos, including ones on their hands reading “For Good”, a nod to the song from Wicked: For Good. Ariana Grande’s friendship with Cynthia didn’t stop there. She also formed a bond with Kristin Chenoweth, who played Glinda on Broadway. Chenoweth even gifted Erivo a matching jacket featuring both the movie and Broadway versions of Glinda on the back.

🚨 SPOILERS AHEAD! Only Continue Reading If You Have Seen BOTH movies! 🚨

Part 2: This INCLUDES Spoilers

Remember the poppy sleep spells from the Wizard of Oz? Well, in Wicked, you can see the origin of the spell when Elphaba accidentally puts her classmates to sleep with Doctor Dillamand’s poppies. Another easter egg is that if you have ever seen “The Wizard of Oz” you will remember the Wicked Witch of the East puts Todo in her bike basket. Wicked gives a nod to that when Elphaba rescues the lion cub, putting him in a bike basket before peddling him out to the forest.

Nessa, later known as the Wicked Witch of the East, is gifted a pair of shoes from her father that Dorthy later wears after stealing them from her feet. If you take a closer look at the shoes, you might notice that there is a tornado on the heel of the shoe that gives a nod to the twister that kills her and brings Dorthy to Oz. 

At the start of Wicked, Elphaba sings “The Wizard and I”, and as she runs through the field, you can spot a rainbow in the background- a nod to Dorothy’s iconic, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz.

Speaking of Dorthy, why isn’t her face shown in Wicked: For Good? Viewers have been curious about the mysterious actress who played Dorothy, since only her back was shown and she spoke just six words. It turns out Dorothy is played by Bethany Weaver, an actress, dancer, and choreographer. She later revealed her role on social media, making the news official. But why was her identity hidden at first? The director chose not to show Bethany’s face so that the focus would stay on the main characters and their story.

Overall, both Wicked and Wicked: For Good are incredible movies, and we hope you get the chance to watch them! Only one question remains… Will there be a Wicked 3?

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Sources Used:

Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo reveals surprising reason she wore prosthetics as Elphaba

Wicked: For Good finally reveals mystery actress who plays Dorothy

Wicked: For Good – all the easter eggs we spotted in the new film

Oscar-winning ‘Wicked’ costume designer on designing Elphaba’s darker, more empowered sequel look

https://laist.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/oscar-winning-wicked-costume-designer-designing-elphabas-look-in-sequel

How ‘Wicked’s’ Makeup Artist Found the Perfect Shade of Green for Elphaba in a Discontinued Eyeshadow Line

13 ‘Wicked’ filming secrets, including the memorable moment that Ariana Grande ad-libbed

Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo Reveal Matching Tattoos Ahead of ‘Wicked: For Good’ Release