BY Olivia Yasharoff
If “Wicked” does not win Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars, I will riot.
The film is the perfect candidate for a nomination in this category and fully deserving of the win. The Oscars famously adore movies about movies. “The Wizard of Oz” is arguably one of the most beloved movies of all time and Jon Chu’s “Wicked” is the embodiment of Hollywood. He has honored the legacy of film history while bringing together the most talented performers of today to create what is sure to become a future classic.
In my 20 years of living, I have never listened to the full “Wicked” soundtrack. Nor was I educated on the plot of the musical or its connection to the “Wizard of Oz.”
Despite this, I somehow have many of the songs memorized. Growing up, my older sister was a massive fan. She and my mom would fill our house with the sounds of iconic songs like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” amplified from our shared iPod.
My dad and sister went together to see “Wicked” on Broadway in 2010. I was six. My mom thought it might be too scary for me (although now, I think she herself was just frightened of the flying monkeys), so instead, the two of us went to see a different musical – “The Little Mermaid.”
Back at the Gershwin Theatre, my sister was having the time of her life. My dad was there for moral support. He fell asleep during the show-stopping ballad right before intermission, something we never let him forget.
Holding space for the lyrics of a few songs means nothing without understanding the full story. I finally get that.
I have a reputation for retaining the specifics of TV shows and movies I have never seen. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved using IMDb as my personal textbook. Due to my early entertainment obsessions, I now know things I have no business knowing.
However, it is because of my childhood dedication to this self-inflicted study that I am unsure why I never thought to watch a bootleg or at least look up a full synopsis of “Wicked.” For whatever reason, I chose to stay in the dark. Now that a film adaptation has been released, I am so glad I did. It was truly an indescribable experience getting to watch this story unfold right in front of me for the first time.
I admittedly hate not knowing how movies end. If I have not already had the story spoiled, I can never hold myself back from racing to guess the plot twists. I spent most of “Wicked,” a two hour and 40-minute film, clutching my sister’s hand with both anxiety and excitement of not being previously informed of what was to come.
In some ways, I am sad that it took me so long to realize how good this musical is. It is not like it was in any way underground. Calling the Tony-award winning show popular would be an understatement.
However, I think the fact that I waited until now to learn what happens made my movie viewing experience nostalgic in a way that differs from long-time fans of the musical. I opened a memory box that I had hidden as a child.
I can now finally, and confidently, state that I am holding space for the lyrics of the entire “Wicked” soundtrack. I will be doing so for a long time.