Wickedstar Cynthia Erivo revealed the one change she requested for Elphaba’s look to set her apart from other actors who have played the iconic character. Erivo leads thecast ofWicked, which also includes Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The storyfollows Elphaba and Glinda years before they become known as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North when they are both students at Shiz University in the world of Oz.
Speaking withVariety, Erivo admitted that she was looking for a way to make her version of Elphaba unique after being cast in the movie. She eventually came upwith the idea of micro braiding Elphaba’s hairbecause this was a way to honor herself and all Black women. Read Erivo’s full quote below:
I asked if we could reimagine that hair as micro braids because I knew you’d still have the movement, and you could still have the length, but there was a texture that was slightly different to what you would normally see on stage, and it was a direct connection between me as a Black woman and Elphaba as a green lady.
What Adding Micro Braids Means For The Elphaba Version In The Wicked Movie
Cynthia Wanted To Make Elphaba Her Own
TheWickedmovie is based on a 1995 novel and a critically-Broadway musical that began in 2003. Therefore, many different actors have portrayed Elphaba, making it hard to stand out. However, since Erivo plays the character in the movie version, she will likely be seen by many as the definitive iteration moving forward. This is why it was important for her Elphaba to stand out, andthe actor thought adding micro braids to Elphaba’s hair was the perfect way to honornot only herself, but also her culture.
What Happened To Elphaba’s Mom In Wicked
Elphaba’s mother only briefly appeared in Wicked: Part 1, but her role was critical to her daughter’s transformation to the Wicked Witch of the West.
Upon its release,Wickedreceived amazing reviewsand has been a smash hit at the box office. The musical moviecurrently has an impressive score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and has crossed the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office. After watching the film,people have praised Erivo’s performance as Elphaba, a deeply complex character who is often viewed as an outcast.
Micro Braids Are a Great Addition To Elphaba InWicked
InWicked, Erivo’s character is viewed as an outsider becauseElphaba has green skin. Since Black people have also been ostracized throughout history,Erivo adding micro braids to Elphaba’s hair was a great way to represent her culture. The star was clearly deeply passionate about portraying the iconic role in the movie adaptation ofWicked, so it is great to learn how she wanted to make the character as unique as possible.
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.
