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While it may be true that no one mourns the wicked, fans certainly would have mourned the absence of New York native Idina Menzel had she not made her scene-stealing cameo in the spellbinding new “Wicked” movie.
The musical fantasy film – a two-part adaptation of the Broadway stage musical that was loosely based on the 1995 novel – tells the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
Menzel, who grew on Long Island in Syosset, was the first actress to portray its protagonist, Elphaba, a role for which she won a Tony Award for best actress in a musical in 2004. So, it was a no-brainer that the movie version would – should – feature the mega talented actress and singer in some fashion.
Note: The rest of this story contains spoilers.
“We knew we wanted to honor them,” director Jon Chu told Entertainment Weekly, referring also to actress Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch.
“Their DNA is all over this. This is the thing that I watched that inspired me and stayed with me for over 20 years. It was about what would give them the most reverence? What was the proper way to honor them? Having them just open the door for someone, it would make me more angry, to be honest, as a fan.”
Chu’s solution was to expand the “Wiz-O-Mania” scene during the song “One Short Day,” during which Menzel and Chenoweth appear as enchantresses who tell the history of the Grimmerie, an ancient book of spells.
“The fact that they were the wise women of Oz felt so great. And then on top of that, there’s this theater group in Emerald City and the idea that they were the biggest stars in Emerald City was so fun,” Chu told Entertainment Weekly. “We love paying homage to them in there.”
Menzel just had one stipulation: “I said, ‘Just make us look pretty,” she told the outlet.
On Instagram, she raved about the film's "spectacular" cast.
"The film is so loving and respectful of the original show but then builds on it in so many beautiful ways I never thought possible," she wrote.
"Cynthia [Erivo] and Ariana [Grande] will blow you away. Extremely moving and emotional for me. I love my @wicked_musical family."
“Wicked” is well on its way to defying box office gravity; it made a staggering $114 million domestically during its opening weekend, the highest ever for a movie musical.
The film boasts an impressive roster of talent, including Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.
Check out a trailer for the film below.
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