Let’s Talk About How Those Wicked Cameos Came To Be

Those Wicked cameos amazed fans of the archetypal Broadway philharmonic with a show-stopping infinitesimal that was much than blink and you’ll miss it. If similar us, you’re OG cast die-hards, it was much similar a “blink distant each the tears” acquisition if you happened to drawback the movie implicit its opening weekend.

Wicked manager Jon M. Chu revealed however helium was capable to nutrient a magic instrumentality similar nary other: sneak successful archetypal Broadway Elphaba Idina Menzel (Frozen) and Galinda Kristin Chenoweth (Descendants) to diagnostic successful an extended and updated mentation of “One Short Day,” the opus successful which the witch besties (played successful the movie by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, respectively) get successful the Emerald City.

“The question for america was, how, and however overmuch are they consenting to bash successful it, and however overmuch tin the communicative itself grip it? Because they’re specified iconic radical and particularly to these roles,” Chu told the Hollywood Reporter. In his movie, Menzel and Chenoweth look arsenic troupe actresses portraying “the omniscient ones” of Oz who musically execute the past of the Grimmerie publication of magic and however the Wizard came into the possession of specified a almighty artifact.

“It was similar a mania. [We said], ‘Let’s marque them the biggest stars of Oz. Let’s marque them this iconic legends of Oz connected the signifier show, and fto them contiguous the past of Oz. They would beryllium the omniscient women of Oz.’ It conscionable seemed to marque sense. And [composer] Steven Schwartz—it mightiness person really travel from him from my memory—said, ‘I cognize precisely however to bash it’ due to the fact that we needed immoderate accusation astir the communicative of the past of Oz, positive it would beryllium them, truthful it would beryllium much meaningful.”

Image: Wicked The Musical YouTube

Chu recounted however they changeable nether the screen of a rainy nighttime successful London, “the infinitesimal they sang the songs and got their iconic moments successful that, it was beautiful. And what was chill astir the time was, I deliberation it was truly healing for everybody. … I said, ‘This is successful grant of you. This full america making this movie is an grant of you due to the fact that we privation you to acquisition what we got to acquisition erstwhile we archetypal saw it, erstwhile I went to the theatre earlier it went into Broadway, what it felt similar to ticker Elphaba and Glinda bargain our hearts, you person ne'er got to acquisition that. And present we get to bash that for you.’”

It was moving for Wicked‘s caller stars to witness. “Ari is crying the full time. Cynthia was crying the full time. There was a batch of emotion connected that acceptable that day. And truthful I’m truthful grateful for them to travel retired there. I was not progressive with the deal-making. I person nary thought what it took to get them there. All I knew is they were down and willing. We conscionable had 1 time to bash it.” And it was worthy the massively kept secret, I openly wept astatine their quality and cheered erstwhile Menzel did her signature “Defying Gravity” loop and Chenoweth her Glinda precocious notes.

Winnie Holzman, the musical’s publication writer, besides appears successful the country arsenic an Emerald City Ozian resident—and Stephen Schwartz plays the announcer defender who tells Glinda and Elphie, “The Wizard volition spot you now!”

Wicked Part One is present playing successful theaters. Part Two arrives November 21, 2025.

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