Something has
changed within me
Something is not the same
- Are you ready?
- Let's do it.
Mm-hmm.
[enchanting music]
[glass shatters]
Welcome to the spectacular
Emerald City set
from our brand-new
movie, "Wicked."
This magical place has been
our home for more than a year,
and tonight, finally,
we're excited to share
all of our "Wicked"
secrets with you.
Let's tell each other something
we've never told anyone before.
You might be a
long-time "Wicked" fan,
like us, or taking your
very first outing to Oz.
Either way, the entire
cast is joining us tonight
to reveal the incredible
process that got us here.
It is our wonderful Wizard
of Oz, Jeff Goldblum.
I didn't know they were
going to be best friends.
[laughter]
I happen to be
genuinely self-absorbed
- and deeply shallow.
- Jonathan Bailey.
- Hello!
- Johnny Bailey.
- Could I ask you...
- Anything you want.
- Just to move out the way?
- Absolut... yeah.
Bowen Yang.
Choreographer said,
"You're a dancer, Bowen."
- And I believed him.
- Marissa Bode.
I'm like, "Yes, pick
up the speed please."
- Right.
- "This is so fun."
- Action!
- I'm Boq.
I'm from Munchkinland.
Ethan Slater.
So hard not to smile.
And the iconic Michelle Yeoh.
Yes, that was me.
In this night of exclusives,
we even filmed
footage ourselves...
[together] The wizard
will see you now.
To share our most personal
"Wicked" memories with you.
Another day with Glinda.
The dream of my entire life.
And we even brought
an exclusive first
look from the film.
"Wicked" is all about
expecting the unexpected,
and tonight is no different.
- Should we have a little look?
- Oh, please.
What the heck?
[voices belting and harmonizing]
I am having a hard
time wrapping my head
around the fact that the
time has finally come.
I know.
I mean, between the
audition process
and the prep and the rehearsal
and everything and
actually filming,
it was, like, 2 and 1/2 years.
- It's been...
- That's a long time.
Well, yeah.
OK, so we can't assume
that everybody knows
what "Wicked" is
or what the story
of "Wicked" is,
so we've done you a favor
and put something together
for you to understand just
what we've been doing.
Yes, we edited this last night.
[whimsical piano music]
The story of
"Wicked" is the story
that you don't know
from "The Wizard of Oz."
How did the Wicked Witch
become the Wicked Witch?
The story of two girls who
are very, very different.
One of whom is
beloved and popular,
and she is who we
come to know as...
Glinda, Galinda the Good
of the Upper Uplands.
The other character
is the green girl,
not beloved, not loved
even by her own family,
who possesses, however,
a kind of magic power
that nobody else in
Oz seems to possess.
Who is what we end up knowing
as the Wicked Witch, Elphaba.
25 years ago, I
first came across
Gregory Maguire's
novel, "Wicked."
At the time, I was
developing it as a film.
Each screenplay felt, to me,
that it was missing something.
And then, one day,
I got a phone call
from Stephen Schwartz.
Listen, I know you're trying
to do this as a movie.
I think it should start
as a stage musical.
I really feel I
know how to do this.
And the moment he said "music,"
a light bulb went
off in my head.
We put the show on Broadway.
The songs, the sisterhood
between Elphaba and Glinda,
Glinda's comedy, seeing
Kristin Chenoweth
originate this role,
seeing her on Broadway...
I'd never heard anything
or seen anything like it.
I think the idea of
turning the concept
of what "The Wizard
of Oz" was on its head
and seeing it from someone
else's point of view
really shook me.
When I first joined "Wicked,"
the number one thing was
let's get the script in shape.
How close was it going
to be for the show?
How cinematic could it be?
But the real heavy lifting,
the big thing that
loomed all over us
was you don't have a story
if you don't have
Glinda and Elphaba.
So we went on the
biggest casting search
that I've ever been a part
of across all continents,
and it took us a long time
to find the right people.
[dramatic music]
Did you know deep, deep, deep
in your heart and your gut
that this was your role?
I hoped, but I don't
want to put that...
- Yeah.
- You know what I mean?
I'm like, "Wake me
up when it's over,
"and if it happened,
if it's real,
let me know when it's real."
- But I...
- Right, yes.
What was your process like,
your audition process?
The audition for me
was, like, three hours
of me singing and acting
with two other actresses.
It was a pretty emotional day.
So I guess I threw everything
into that audition.
[singing intensely]
[piano chord clangs]
Whoo!
[applause]
Well, I had the
opposite experience.
I stalked Marc Platt
for ten years...
[chuckles]
Wondering, when would
an audition be possible?
As I kind of got wind that it
was coming closer and closer,
I went to voice lessons and
acting lessons and, every day,
was trying to get ready because
it's so different vocally
from what I usually sing.
Less fortunate than I
And let's face it
And I remember, by the
end of my final test,
- my eyelashes were...
- [laughs]
Nowhere near where
they should be.
They were here.
So I was like,
"Thank you so much.
Well... "and I stuck
them on the mirror.
I was like, "Well, bye.
That's all, folks."
I went to the car and collapsed.
And then, from then, it was
3 and 1/2 weeks, I think.
Yeah, actually hearing the words
that the part was mine was
beyond a dream come true.
I finally get the call.
And, Cynthia, I don't
know what [...] planet
you came from, but
we are so blessed
to have you in the
room every time
we meet you, every time
I get to talk to you.
And there's utter disbelief.
And we would love for you to
be our Elphaba in "Wicked."
I cover my eyes, and
I cry my eyes out,
because you just don't
expect it to happen
when it happens even if
you know it might happen.
- You know?
- Mm-hmm, it's a wild feeling.
Yeah.
To wait so long, and
finally the call came.
We made you wait a long time
for all your
auditions and things,
and you came in,
you told us how much
"Wicked" means to
you. [dog barking]
You've written letters...
- Toulouse!
- Toulouse, stop! Toulouse!
[dog barking]
Toulouse!
My kid's running around,
too, so it's all good.
I'm sorry.
Just like you, it's,
like, that feeling
- when all of a sudden...
- All this to say...
And you're like, "Hm,
if I didn't get it,
this is the meanest way..."
It's the worst way to find out.
"Someone could
ever tell me ever."
'Cause we want you to
be our Glinda the Good
in the "Wicked" freaking movie.
- [laughing, gasping]
- I don't know what to say!
Oh, my God, thank you so much!
I love her so much!
I'm going to take
such good care of her!
Thank you so much!
I don't believe it still.
Today, I don't believe it.
- It's so crazy.
- We actually did that.
[chuckles] That's crazy.
Thank God. Thank Oz.
Thank goodness.
Pink goes good with green.
- Goes well with green.
- It so does.
[soft piano music]
My Miss Elphaba.
Look at you.
Hm, you're beautiful.
I think the thing people
are so attracted to...
- Yeah.
- Is the story of sisterhood
and best friendship
and the laughter
and the love and the
connection there,
but also what lies beneath it
and the story that it
tells on a bigger scale
is so relevant and
necessary today,
and it's just so beautiful.
Both of these characters have
such differences in them,
and they're both quirky
in their own ways,
but I think that that makes
them really beautiful.
Mm-hmm.
I think there's a
wonderful essence
of trying to share with everyone
that one's difference doesn't
make them wrong or bad.
It just makes them special.
And I think that that's
a bigger, wider idea
that we can all share
with the world, yeah.
Something has
changed within me
[soaring orchestral music]
She doesn't give a twig
what anyone thinks.
Something is not the same
- Of course, she does.
- She just pretends not to.
Hi, I'm Michelle Yeoh, the
influential headmistress,
Madame Morrible.
[claps] Listen!
Still to come on
"Defying Gravity,"
costumes,
choreography,
music,
the Wonderful Wizard of
Oz himself, Jeff Goldblum,
and the dashing Jonathan Bailey.
Johnny Bailey.
Can I talk about "Wicked" too?
So don't go anywhere
as we raise the curtain
on more secrets and surprises.
[soaring orchestral music]
Like, they don't
even know that...
they talk amongst themselves
and don't hear the world.
Like, we can talk
about them out loud,
and they don't even know what's
happening in the outside world.
Like, they have no idea that
we're talking about them...
Wait, what?
Because they're just
in their own world.
What are you talking about?
When you guys talk to
each other, nobody exists.
[laughter]
- Hello.
- Johnny Bailey.
- Good to see you.
- Hello, ladies.
- Jonathan.
- Hi.
Come and hang out
with me over here.
- Shut up.
- By the Winkie machine.
- County, yes, yes.
- Yeah.
I am the captain of
the Winkie county.
[laughs]
I'm Fiyero Tigelaar.
- Winkie Country.
- Oh, Oz.
[crowd murmuring]
What is your
relationship to "Wicked,"
what you felt when you
saw it, all those things?
First "Wicked" memory?
Well, you know, the
first time I saw it,
I saw a preview when it
first came over to London...
Oh, wow.
With Idina Menzel and Adam
Garcia playing Fiyero.
And, obviously, it
was mind-blowing,
but I remember specifically
that Idina Menzel corpse
and was giggling
in a brilliant way,
and I really enjoyed that.
So that was my first
introduction to it,
and I feel like we've kept
that going, that legacy,
of giggling all the way through.
My first experience
was with the music
- first before seeing the show.
- Yeah.
And I learned it all before
I actually saw the show.
And then, finally,
for my 25th birthday,
I took myself to
see it by myself.
- That's so cute.
- I went on a solo date.
So you would have
been a bit younger.
I was ten years old.
I had the incredible privilege
of seeing the original
Broadway cast.
I ended up being
able to go backstage,
and then I went to
Kristen's dressing room,
and she didn't do, like,
a pause at the door
and, like, a hello. She
literally was like...
[as Kristin Chenoweth]
"Oh, come in! Come in!"
[laughter]
And she gave, like, me a wand.
She gave me a little
pink body wash.
She said it was magical, and
it may have been, actually.
Her dog peed on the couch.
I helped her clean it up.
It was like a dream.
- I'm so sorry, Miss.
- We didn't see you there.
You must have... blended
with the foliage.
Is this how you go through life,
just running amok and
trampling anyone in your path?
No.
[horse snorts]
No, sometimes I'm asleep.
One thing from the
original theater production
that everyone loved is the sets.
We're going to now have a
look at how Nathan Crowley,
our incredible
production designer,
created these
extraordinary worlds
that we existed in.
[enchanting music]
Cinema to me has to be epic.
If we're going to make "Wicked,"
it has to be cinematic.
We have to do something
the stage show can't do.
We have to show this
incredible world.
We have to go behind the scenes
and show everything.
How do you make this
fantastical place
that we've never seen before?
How do you find a
way in visually?
You have to make up
your own version of it.
Our version is, we
build that [ding].
We build it.
We knew that we wanted
Oz to be immersive.
Let's touch it. Let's feel it.
We can actually go into the
forest and climb a tree.
We got to grow 9 million tulips.
We got to build Munchkinland.
We got to build the
yellow brick road.
Ah, this is the first time
I've seen this train
come into this city.
Brilliant, that's the image
I've been waiting for.
Let's go back here
and look at it.
You want to touch the
walls of the Emerald City,
see your reflection in it.
This is the throne room theater,
and what you're standing
under is the animatronic
physical head that is going up
here on these hydraulic rigs
and is going to
be puppeteered...
I am Oz.
[whispers] Say something.
- Say something.
- What am I supposed to say?
Anything.
We have a lot of
nature embedded in
the production design.
We really wanted Oz to be
a place of deeper power,
that there is synergy of
nature that comes through,
and part of that is
this animal community.
They work side-by-side
with other human Ozians.
They've been professors.
They've been doctors.
They've been students.
We have this animal band
that's playing in the Ozdust.
There's also the beloved
Doctor Dillamond.
He has these gadgets
that allow him to use
a magnifying glass
or sweep the floor.
The tables are different
shapes and sizes
and different heights, and
bowls are different ways
for different animals to eat.
They are a culture
that is deeply embedded
in the land of Oz,
and all of this didn't just
take production design.
It took special effects.
It took visual effects.
That sense of detail
makes you believe
that Oz actually exists.
[enchanting music]
Look what I found.
Yeah, my pile of things
that I'm stealing.
Let's see.
I'm excited to
attempt to get through
airport security with this.
I will take... you can't...
- I don't think I'll be stopped.
- No, you should...
- You know?
- We have to take...
- Yes, for sure.
- These home.
But it's, like,
kind of emotional.
Yeah, you become really
attached to them.
- I don't want to let go of it.
- Yeah.
Yeah, and we have
Elphie's things here,
these beautiful, beautiful
hat and iconic broom.
I wouldn't be surprised
if you grew the tree
and you etched it yourself.
I knew that I wanted it
to feel really organic.
- How does that feel for you?
- I love it.
So John and I set about
looking for, like,
the roots of different trees.
Mangroves, isn't it?
Mangroves, that's right, yeah.
Made it really easy
for you to catch.
Yes, well, the thing is,
I got really used to,
like, how to hold it
and how to catch
it if I needed to.
- But she can catch a broom.
- It can be anywhere.
But I think I just got
really attached to it.
I sort of, like, understood it.
I almost broke my
nose on a broom.
- This is true.
- This is true.
I was supposed to catch
one. My face caught it.
- That was a day.
- Yeah, it was wild.
You two on set, it's
like a live wire
and an earth wire together,
and it's interesting.
You see these two props here,
and they're so reflective
of this sort of
special nature of both of you.
We're so lucky to have these
physically grounding pieces...
Jess, is this your
favorite one to put on me?
When you put the costume on,
when you put her shoes on,
when you hold our things
and wear our crowns,
when we're supported by
such brilliant artists
who designed these pieces
that just take it
to the next level.
[dramatic music]
So let's talk about
the fact that obviously
- it's pink and green...
- Yes.
But you were
actually, literally,
- green every day.
- Very true.
So I knew that if
I looked at myself
and didn't see the green,
I don't think I could have
made the connection to
Elphaba as much as I did.
And something happens when
all of that green is on,
the freckles go on,
and the hair goes on,
the makeup goes
on, the eyes go on,
and it's not me I'm
looking at. It's her.
But also, something happens
when you walk into a room,
especially when you have lots of
background artists in the room,
and the first time
they meet you,
- you're green.
- Yeah.
Something happens to
the DNA in the space.
- I agree.
- The energy shifts.
Yeah.
- Oh!
- You're green.
I am.
Coming up, our fellow Ozians
will be reflecting
on their time in Oz.
Bowen Yang...
- Hey.
- Hi
Marissa Bode...
This is my younger
sister, Nessarose.
- And...
- Boq Woodsman...
- Ethan Slater.
- Of Munchkinland.
- So don't go flying off.
- We'll be right back.
[soaring orchestral music]
- Everyone say hi.
- Hi, honey.
Sweetheart, you can take
the girl out of Shiz,
but you can't take the
Shiz out of the girl.
Oy vey, is that the truth.
Welcome back.
Now, as you know,
a lot of our movie
is set in the Emerald City,
but our characters meet at
dear old Shiz University.
And that's where
we're heading now.
[cheers and applause]
Welcome new students.
And "congratulotions" for
having been accepted to Shiz.
We have nothing but
the highest hopes
for some of you.
[crowd chuckles]
[applause]
We're at Shiz!
We're at our school.
I don't know how familiar
people are with the story,
but Boq arrives at Shiz on
the same day as everyone.
You know, Boq sees Glinda
and is so overwhelmed
with this, like, love
that he's feeling for her
- right away.
- I'm Boq.
- This huge crush.
- I'm from Munchkinland.
Yes.
And she redirects his
energy towards Nessa,
- which is...
- Yes, terrible.
- Go ask her right now?
- Why not?
She's right there.
- Which is...
- Not great.
Just hard, but also
is the beginning
of this relationship
between the two of them.
Yeah.
Well, it unfolds in
a really fun way.
I think you guys had the
very challenging thing
of selling, through
the choreography,
like, the courtship
between Nessa and Boq.
I actually have, like,
some amazing videos
on my phone of the two of
us, but, like, early on.
Like, I've done no choreography
in my life, really.
I'm so grateful that they
hired a wheelchair dancer
to help choreograph
it because I feel like
nobody knows better, like, how
to move throughout the space.
- She's amazing.
- So amazing.
I also dance in this film.
Dear Galinda, you
are just too good
I had to sell the idea
that we were, like,
extensions of Glinda,
right, that we were
flanking her at all times.
So we had to, like, be like Ari,
in the choreography, at least.
I passed you. Damn it!
[laughter]
Christopher Scott,
our choreographer,
pulled one on me and said,
"You're a dancer, Bowen."
And I believed him.
Nothing matters
And then I realized that
he did that to everybody.
No, everybody was a dancer,
and he really did
make you believe.
- He gave you the confidence...
- Yeah.
And the tools.
Every part of the
choreography told a story.
[dramatic music]
Movement is such a huge
part of the language in Oz.
Movement is an expression
of your feelings.
When words aren't enough,
what makes it feel like
the best night of your life.
To create a world through
song, through dance,
is really challenging.
The story has influenced
every piece of choreography.
It becomes a language,
and it becomes dialogue
that they're having.
How do we create
this so it feels
like it's of you, from you?
How do we make it
feel connected?
But also finding beats
to build in comedy?
Respectfully, this might
be the Glinda-fied version,
and that was a fun
balance to find.
There was so much
space given to come in
and create something
of your own.
I've been seeing people
come up with new ideas
of how to play off
of the architecture,
and it just changes the way
that you move your body.
We find the spaces.
We find the nooks and crannies
that we work into
our choreography,
our blocking, our camera work.
We had this massively huge
set for Glinda's suite.
It became this huge playground
for Jon, me, and Chris
to start to experiment with how
to tell a story through dance.
La, la, la, la
So you've got these two women
and then all these
contraptions that open up.
We did, a couple of
times, remove things,
like the roof of the set,
so we could do bed shots,
and we poked our crane
through a couple of times
through the front door
and the balcony door.
You know, telling this story
through a beautiful shot
that takes you
from here to there,
the nuances of the
actors' performances,
I've seen that grow so much.
The camerawork, the lighting,
and the choreography,
it's unlimited creativity
as long as it serves the story.
Why not make it that
when you're making
the movie version of "Wicked"?
Paint with all the
colors of the rainbow.
[screams]
- We got that.
- That was great.
This is kind of an action movie.
- There's, like, a lot of action.
- Totally.
So there's, like,
stunt work happening.
Yeah.
And Marissa did more
stunts than either of us.
- Ooh, yeah.
- I did do a lot of stunts.
- Very fun for me, to be honest.
- It was sick.
Like, they were scared that I
would be scared on the wires.
They started off very slow.
I'm like, "Yes, pick
up the speed please."
- Right.
- "This is so fun."
- Lock me in, let's go.
- Yes.
And by the end of it, I was
zooming through the air.
- Action!
- [screams]
I'm glad they didn't have a
stunt double for me, like,
or, like, had someone
else do the stunts
because I was like,
"No, I want to."
- I'm doing them.
- Yeah.
Ugh.
- Oh!
- [laughs]
Oh!
[dramatic music]
The preparation for
this was so much fun.
Cynthia and I would
do stunt training,
different kinds of
training because this film,
it gets physical.
Three, two, one, action.
The action that we design is...
you know, it primarily has
to be emotionally based.
Is it aggressive or
is it vulnerable?
You know, we have to do all of
that within our body language.
There are times
when we have to do,
working with the dancers
and the parkour people
and the stunt people,
seeing what they could
physically do and
making it exciting.
Some of the guys are going
from one ladder to the next,
you know, the wheels
doing, like, a revolution
and changing your weight and
making it look effortless.
Coming up with the most
creative fight sequences
that we could, like
with the guards
after the girls in the attic
on their way up to the balloon.
They're in it, and so the
soldiers are climbing,
and they're throwing sandbags
at them to try to get them out,
and eventually, it
burns to the ground.
[basket thuds]
And, of course,
"Defying Gravity."
Heave!
I knew when I was
going into this
that stunts would be needed,
and I knew that I wanted
to do my own stunts.
- And that takes ba*ls.
- Thank you.
- It takes ba*ls.
- [chuckles]
- Thanks, Mama Jo.
- Honestly, well done.
Thank you.
We had a moment where I
had to fly around on wires,
and I could hear
this little girl,
and she's stood by the monitor,
go... [gasps]
"Whoa!"
It's one of the moments
that made me understand
why I do this.
Some of my other
favorite stunt memories
were the moments that were
in-between the stunts.
This one jumping off the side.
No, I had to be in
a harness one time,
and not to fly, just so that I
didn't fall off the banister,
but I didn't come close to
falling off the banister.
Only when we were not filming...
Did she jump off the side of it.
By accident.
Oh!
- Oh, no.
- I might have.
Sorry. I'm sorry.
- All right, folks.
- OK, folks.
- Everyone gets so nervous.
- Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
So we would go home
and text each other
and be like, "Do you also
have four missing nails..."
- [laughs]
- "And bruises?"
We have pictures of just,
like, broken nails...
What are these bruises from?
And half-painted
hands and bruises.
- Not again!
- Not again!
- But I miss it.
- We love it though.
Coming up, the man, the legend,
the wizard himself has just
landed in Emerald City.
- Nice to see you.
- Nice to see you.
Brace yourself for the quite
impossible to describe,
Jeff Goldblum, next.
[soaring orchestral music]
[together] We're
just two friends
Two good friends
Two best friends
[together] Sharing
one wonderful
One short
[together] The wizard
will see you now.
[together] Day
And look at this.
It is our wonderful
Wizard of Oz.
- Jeff Goldblum.
- Yes.
- Hello.
- Hello to you.
- Oh! Thank you.
- And hello to you.
- Oop!
- Oh.
Butterfingers, butterfingers.
Thank you, Wizard.
Thank you very much
for our gifts, there.
- We love you so much.
- We love you.
[enchanting music]
You want to see
something amazing?
Yeah.
This is all about our
wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Do you know how he got here?
From the sky, in a balloon.
[dramatic music]
Then he built a city
made of emeralds.
You want to know a secret?
[whispers] If you
get to meet him...
[fireworks whistling
and booming]
He grants your heart's desire.
I am Oz.
[machinery whirs]
Uh, sorry about all that. I
didn't mean to startle you.
[tender music]
I'm a sucker for
a lot of stories,
including "Wizard of Oz."
It never failed to
enchant me and grip me.
It's Jeff Goldblum.
- I love this man.
- Do you know that?
Yesterday, I did a scene
with the both of them,
plus Michelle Yeoh.
If I died right after
that day's work,
I'd be happy.
We are so happy.
You know, when I first
went to the theater,
it was a new show 20
years ago on Broadway.
I was in New York.
And that music, by
the end of the show,
suffice it to say, I
was in an emotional
- emergency-room condition.
- Absolutely.
I was kind of wailing, trying
not to wail with people
- leaving the theater around me.
- Absolutely.
Boo.
And I think I wailed out,
"I didn't know they were
going to be best friends!"
Well, cut to, 20 years
later, this version.
Those of you out there
who, in a few days,
may see this, and
enjoy it in a big way.
I knew you'd understand.
That makes me... that
makes me so happy.
Well, that's what I love best,
making people happy.
Hey, can I mention, the
whole production design
- of this movie...
- Yes.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's unusual, isn't it?
It's a so-called practical set.
And I've been here and there,
and I've done these
green-screen movies.
Nothing like this.
This is unusual.
Nothing like it, and
I think, on film,
one will feel it.
And certainly doing
it, it supports
and helps the actor.
- Guards.
- Bring her to me.
The things that were
made for this film,
you can't even fathom how
much work and how much detail.
- Like the costumes.
- It's just so brilliant.
[enchanting music]
I was always reacting to what
Nathan was coming up with
as far as the architecture
in the spaces.
I was reflecting that in the
silhouettes of the people
and the textures
of their clothing,
in jewelry, on buttons.
All of that was
very specifically
designed for this world.
So we're tapping into
all of these amazing,
very talented artisans
in creating this film
so that we can get
the most original look
that we possibly can.
Just a little more
roll or something.
It is a world of contrasts.
With Elphaba, I used a lot
of pleating and felting.
I wanted to align her
with the animal world.
With Glinda, a
world without worry.
It was important
for me to render her
in that kind of
quality as she aligns
with this sensibility of good.
You're beautiful.
The costume goes
from being an idea,
which is the potential
essence of a character,
to being a realized garment.
Once you have an
actor in the costume,
it attains a soul.
[heels click]
[vocalizing]
Hey, I've taken out my device...
Yes.
Not just because I'm a
nincompoop and addicted,
which I am a little bit,
but because I wanted
to show you something.
Look at this.
- Look at this again.
- Oh!
- Look at the young...
- That is crazy.
Ariana Grande.
Why do we both kind of look
exactly the same still?
- Well...
- Just as excited.
I don't know how
much the same I look.
You look, you know...
- So happy.
- Just as excited to be...
That's me, myself and I
after I've come off stage
in Shubert Alley,
famous Shubert Alley...
- In "The Pillowman."
- After doing "The Pillowman."
I saw you twice in that.
I stopped at the
stage door twice.
And you stopped at
the stage door twice.
You always took
time. It was...
Ugh, please look at
how excited I am.
I'm so sorry.
Well, anyway, I love
this picture so much.
- We love you.
- You made our time so special.
You did.
And I don't think you understand
what you did to our hearts.
Thank you for being
the best wizard.
Coming up, reimagining
"Wicked's" iconic score
for the big screen.
And Jonathan has a surprise
for Cynthia and Ariana,
defying expectations
with something
they've never seen before.
What the heck?
[soaring orchestral music]
Welcome back to our
world of "Wicked."
We are just casually discussing
how much we love the
music in this movie
and what an honor it's
been to sing these songs
- and sing with each other.
- Yes, very much.
I am...
Never singing with
anyone else again.
I have been so spoiled
by the experience
of hearing Cynthia Erivo sing...
- Talk about yourself.
- Every day.
- What? Are you joking?
- No, I'm sorry.
I just have to say.
[vocalizing together]
[together] My
whole life long
I have loved singing with you
[screams]
So it's probably one of the
greatest pleasures of my life,
to be able to sing with someone
who, like, understands music
- so implicitly the way you do.
- I love you.
- You really...
- That's so kind.
Yeah, this one, in "Popular,"
is running around the room,
honestly at break speed.
La, la, la, la
Jumping up on things,
hanging off a chandelier
at one point.
You in "Defying Gravity,"
you're upside-down
and in the air and harnessed
and belting like it's nothing,
like it's absolutely nothing.
I was standing there.
I can tell you.
She's swooping... flying
in, landing perfectly.
Perfect pitch every single...
like, the most insane thing
I've ever seen in my life.
I think that both of us
were doing ridiculous things
in order to tell these
stories through song.
We do speak the same
language though.
- Yes, yes.
- That's been fun too.
We recorded rehearsal tracks,
but then also sang live on set,
which is something...
we both were like,
- "We're singing."
- We're singing live.
- We are singing.
- That's it, yeah.
But when we were recording
the rehearsal tracks
and the demos, I, like, took
a stab at vocal producing.
And I was like, "I think
she's going to like
this choice, this
choice, this choice."
And I called you and
invited you over,
- and you were like, "Great."
- Yes, thank you.
- Yep, there we go.
- [squeals]
I hope you enjoy the
work that we put into it.
We sang everything.
- [laughs]
- Absolutely everything.
- Take a look.
- Yes.
Everyone deserves
a chance to fly
I can do it. It's good.
Well, I think there
are a couple of things
that make "Wicked"
an ideal subject
for musicalization.
I hope you're happy, I
hope you're happy now
I hope you're happy how
you hurt your cause forever
I hope you think
you're clever
I hope you're happy
I hope you're happy too
The characters have
these inner thoughts
that it's very
difficult to dramatize
if they're not singing them
[together] I
can't imagine how
I hope you're happy
Right now
One of the reasons why it was
so important to do this live
was not only because
we're all theater people
who wanted to so
badly, but also because
of the emotional element.
We would be further connected
to the words we were saying,
the music we were hearing,
the story we were telling,
and to each other.
[together]
There's no fight
We cannot win
Just you and I
Defying gravity
With you and I
The people who created the show,
they're excited about the music
that we're bringing back,
and it means so much to be able
to experience that with them.
"Wicked" was the first show
I conducted on Broadway.
And it's a 23-piece orchestra,
and now this will be
close to a hundred people
playing together.
[bright orchestral music]
It's about scaling up everything
and making all of
the musical moments
really inhabit the world.
This vision is going to be
extraordinary on a big screen.
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match
them in renown
- Fantastic, fantastic.
- Incredible.
- Wow, that was really good.
- Very cool.
I'm really excited
for everyone to see
how all of these iconic
things have been reimagined.
And I think one of the things
that has been reimagined so well
is in the casting
choices, honestly.
Michelle Yeoh as
Morrible is, like,
such an inspired choice to me.
Unreal, and, like, won the
Oscar while we were filming.
Yeah.
Do you remember, like,
she entered the space...
Yes, wait, I have video of it.
- Yeah.
- Do you really?
- I do, I do.
- Here, here.
Like, this is, like, Jon.
- There it is!
- That's a full-on Oscar.
That's a full Oscar.
Which was a really
huge celebratory moment
- for everyone.
- For everyone.
And she made it that way
because she literally
- flew to set the next day...
- Whoo!
It's got my name on it.
After winning her Oscar
and then, like, let
everybody hold it,
let everybody take
pictures with it.
I think it just shows
how special all of this
is to Michelle, too, like,
going in the next day...
- Yes.
- To be a part of this.
Just so cool.
We're here today on the set,
and it will be the
last time that we're
all together at the end
of this massive journey.
Do you remember, on
day one, Jon Chu asked
you both to look into
camera and to give yourself
a message to the future
version of yourself.
- Oh, my.
- Yeah.
- I don't remember what I said.
- I remember it happening.
No, I can't remember
what I said either.
- Should we have a little look?
- Oh, no.
Oh, dear.
Anything to say to
your future self?
And you can say it
to her right there.
Oh, no, to my future self?
[chuckles] Oh, my gosh.
I hope you're happy. No.
What do you have to say
to your future self?
- Right there.
- All right.
Hi, Cynthia. [chuckles]
Um, I'm not sure if you thought
you would be here at any point.
This is a rare thing
to be able to be doing.
I've never felt this way before,
as excited and
positively nervous,
in a good way, as I
do ready and sure.
And that's something
I learned from Glinda.
I hope that you've
come to the end of this
and you still feel
really grateful
and cling on tight
to those around you
who are in it with you still.
And remember to keep
them in your lives.
- What the heck?
- We're stuck with you.
Don't worry. You've got us.
- Thank you.
- Oh, my.
- Well...
- [laughs]
That was actually
really wonderful to see.
Quite emotional for
me because I feel like
I am really grateful, and I
got some new family members.
- Me too.
- Yeah.
We will definitely keep
each other in our lives.
- We'll do a good job with that.
- You're stuck.
We've already done such
a good job with it.
- Stuck with me.
- And we will continue to.
Next, the moment we've
all been waiting for,
the curtain finally rises
on a world exclusive
from our new movie, "Wicked."
So wait just a clock tick.
We'll be right back.
[soaring orchestral music]
Hello, welcome back
to Emerald City.
So at the very
beginning of this,
we told you that this is a
world of unexpected things.
Well, here is an unexpected
thing for you from us.
Here is an exclusive
look at a scene
from our new film, "Wicked."
[quirky orchestral music]
What is this feeling,
so sudden and new?
I felt the moment
I laid eyes on you
- My pulse is rushing
- My head is reeling
Well, my face is flushing
[together] What
is this feeling?
Fervid as a flame
Does it have a name?
Yes
Loathing,
unadulterated loathing
- For your face
- Your voice
Your clothing
[together] Let's just say
- I loathe it all
- [gasps]
[together] Every
little trait
However small
Makes my very flesh
begin to crawl
With simple utter loathing
There's a strange
exhilaration
In such total detestation
It's so pure, so strong
Though I do admit
it came on fast
Still, I do believe
that it can last
And I will be loathing
Loathing you my
whole life long
[together] Dear Galinda
You are just too good
How do you stand it?
I don't think I could
She's a terror!
She's a tartar!
We don't mean to show a bias
But, Galinda,
you're a martyr
Well...
These things are
sent to try us
[crowd gasping]
[together] Poor Galinda
Forced to reside with
someone so disgusticified
We just want to tell you,
we're all on your side
We share your loathing
What is this feeling,
so sudden and new?
I felt the moment
I laid eyes on you
My pulse is rushing,
my head is reeling
[together] We
loathe it all!
Oh, what is this feeling?
[together] Trait,
however small
Does it have a name?
Yes
Oh
Loathing, there's a
strange exhilaration
- Loathing
- In such total detestation
- Loathing
- It's so pure
So strong
Though I do admit
it came on fast
Still I do believe
that it can last
And I will be
loathing for forever
Loathing, truly
Deeply loathing you
- Loathing you
- My whole life long
Unadulterated loathing
Oh!
[clears throat]
- Boo!
- [screams]
[laughs]
[laughter]
Thank you so much for
visiting Oz with us tonight.
Please go and see
our movie "Wicked."
- And from us to you...
- Happy holidays.
And goodbye.
- [laughter]
- Hey, hey, hey.
This is not "Ben-Hur." Hey!
[triumphant orchestral music]
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Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked (2024)
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