A bunch of movie musicals won Best Picture over the years, and this year brings another contender with Wicked: For Good. The first movie (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription) was a big hit, and the story will conclude with Jon M. Chu's highly anticipated sequel. The movie stars Tony-winning actress Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, although she recently explained why she originally didn't think she'd ever play the Wicked Witch of the West.
What we know about Wicked: For Good is about to expand since its just days away from its wide release. Anticipation is sky high, especially after Wicked's record-breaking performance in theaters. In her new book Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much (via Us Weekly) Erivo shared her reaction to seeing the Broadway musical on stage for the first time, writing:
I saw Wicked on stage for the first time on my 25th birthday. Wicked was startling and breathtaking. I had sung the music for years, and now the entire show — lights, music, voices, sights — was unfolding in front of my eyes, filling my entire being.
As someone who has seen Wicked on Broadway a number of times, I can concur. Many of us grew up listening to the Cast Recording, but being able to see the blockbuster musical in the flesh is a magical experience (no pun intended). It certainly sounds like the Harriet actress had a significant experience seeing it live.
While Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would lead the Wicked cast for the movies, the latter actress originally didn't see the role for herself. Namely because no Black actresses had ever played Elphaba full time on Broadway. As she explained:
I didn’t dare dream [of playing Elphaba], and that’s for one simple reason. I had never seen someone like me in that role. My brain didn’t make the connection that such a thing would ever be possible. It’s hard to become what we don’t see. Even though Elphaba is green and it shouldn’t really matter, it did. At least, in my head.
It's almost hard to believe it, but Wicked didn't feature a Black actress playing Elphaba full-time until Lencia Kebede took on the role in March of 2025. Until then the Broadway company had largely featured white actors in the role, although some standbys and understudies of color covered the role. And it's for this reason that Cynthia Erivo didn't originally envision herself as the show's protagonist.
The Broadway company has been taking some major steps forward regarding inclusion in the past few years. The first Black Glinda Brittney Johnson debuted back in 2022, and the show also recently featured trans actress Alexandra Billings as Madame Morrible. What's more, Nessarose was played by a real-life wheelchair user for the first time on stage when Jenna Bainbridge debuted earlier this year.
Despite her original feelings, it's clear now that Erivo was a perfect choice to play Elphaba on the big screen. Between her incredible voice, emotional vulnerability, and impressive flying work, it's hard to imagine anyone else starring in Jon M. Chu's pair of movies. And it seems like her role has inspired the Broadway company to expand its view on casting.
Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21st as part of the 2025 movie release list.
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