Wickeddirector Jon M. Chu addresses how the movie’s arrival in Oz evolved as the production determined how the original stage show star’s cameos would fit into the movie. The 2024 musical is based on the musical retelling of L. Frank Baum’sThe Wizard of Ozthat was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name, which told a sympathetic retelling of the Wicked Witch of the West’s story.Wickedstars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba,the future Wicked Witch of the West, as she meets Galinda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the woman who would become Glinda the Good.
WhileWickedfeatures a surprise cameo by original Broadway Elphaba and Glinda performers Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Chu revealed toCinemaBlendthat their appearances underwent several drafts before casting them as actors in the Wizomania stage show. Though Menzel and Chenoweth were envisioned as playing several rolesthat included Galinda’s parents, it was decided that it would be best to allow the two stars the opportunity to sing rather than just having a brief on-screen appearance:
We had them as cameo roles at some point. “Maybe they’re Glinda’s parents?” Or, “Maybe they’re this or that…” And those were all fine and good, but every time, we sort of thought about it more, (and) it didn’t feel… Like, they’re at the top of their game right now! They’re not like some people who don’t do it anymore. You want them to do their thing. And I always felt, as a fan myself, if I see them in this movie, I’m going to want them to do their thing!
With this, the original Wizomania being envisioned in the movie as a ride akin to “It’s A Small World” that featured a performance around them,composer Stephen Schwartz quickly reworked the scene’s plansto give the two stars a moment to pass the baton to the movie’s leads. However, even with this move, Chu states that their exact performance remained in flux throughout the edit. See the rest of what Chu shared below:
And so we had this section already, with Wizomania. It wasn’t exactly those words. It was actually more of a ride that they go on. Wizomania was going to be almost like It’s a Small World, where you get into a boat, and it takes you through the history of Oz. And it was going to be a performance that happens around them, and then (we) send you back out to the Wizard Palace. (Stephen) was like, “Give me one night.” And he rewrote the whole thing as a performance for these girls. And he did it, and made it so fun. And that’s where it felt like, “Okay, this is a great moment. A sort of send off.” But even in the edit, we debated it back and forth: How much to give, how much to see them. Plenty of shots. Where they bow, when they leave, where they wave goodbye, and like, “How much is too much for the audience?” We wavered back and forth a little bit, and tried to find the right medium of that.
What Chu’s Response Means For Wicked’s Menzel & Chenoweth Appearances
With Chu’s response, it is clear thatincluding Menzel and Chenoweth within theWickedmovie was a priorityfrom the earliest stages of the movie’s production. Given how several roles were considered for both stars, including Galinda’s parents, it is likely that these would only have been minor roles, as not to distract audiences from the main stars ofWicked’smovie adaptation.
Wicked’s Broadway Musical Cameos Explained
Wicked’s biggest cameos fit neatly into the film and bring back two stars who will always have a major connection to the original Broadway musical.
It can also be determined from the example that Chu gave that there would always have been a moment between Menzel and Chenoweth and Erivo and Grande-Butera. While Schwartz may have envisioned his reworked moment as a final farewell to the stars, the Broadway star’s potential roles as Galinda’s parents could be a way to acknowledge how they contributed to crafting the roles by literally framing them as the pair who raised one of its leads. As such, the moment would have been a welcome acknowledgement of their impact.
Our Thoughts On Wicked’s Broadway Star Cameos
The Pair’s Appearance Is Much More Than Fan Service
In the final cut of Wizomania inWicked, the sequence is more than just a passing of the torch between the original Broadway leads and the movie leads, and serves as a tribute to the entire musical. Framed within a stage show performance that allows Menzel and Chenoweth to channel the chemistry of their original roles, the sequence also features appearances by playwright Winnie Holzman and Schwartz himself. As such, the final sequenceserves as a love letter toWicked’sorigins.
Wicked’s 19 Wizard Of Oz Easter Eggs
Wicked features many overt references to The Wizard of Oz, but there are a variety of more subtle Easter eggs from the 1939 movie to be found.
Furthermore, it can be argued that the ultimate roles of Menzel and Chenoweth inWickedwere handled incredibly well. Alongside how their roles call back to their stage careers, having them appear later on in the movie’s runtime allows their appearance to be more of a surprise after the new cast had been given the time to establish themselves, while their small interactions with the two leads fulfill the opportunity to pass the baton.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
