The long-awaited movie adaptation of the musical “Wicked” hit theaters in November, and it was well-received by many.
Expectations were high, especially with the star-studded cast featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.
Casting Elphaba as a Black woman was a controversial choice by Director Jon M. Chu. On Broadway, the musical had mostly been played by white women, like Idina Menzel, but Chu’s stance proved to make the film all that more relatable and authentic to the core message of the story.
Chu, known for his previous successes with “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” once again delivered with “Wicked.” The film earned 10 Golden Globes nominations, with the actors receiving numerous accolades as well. The representation of multiple cultures and identities within the world of “Wicked” was incredible and truly resonated with audiences. The impact of seeing someone like yourself on screen can make all the difference in empowering young people.
Although the success of the film can be attributed to the director or even the talented actors in the film, I believe this film’s success was because of the well-delivered message of the “Wicked” story.
It began as a book written by Gregory Maguire where he examined what made the Wicked Witch of the West so evil. He wanted to explore what makes a person wicked and landed on public perception. When we look at motivation and open our minds to understanding different perspectives, we can find that popular opinions do not equal truth.
In reality, Elphaba is not evil, but the heroine of the musical who is fighting against the corrupt government and standing up for the rights of animals. Her actions are fully justified and explained in the film.
There are so many themes in the movie that can be applied to current world politics. One key message is that just because people in power frame a person or group as dangerous or bad, it doesn’t make their accusations true.
Having Elphaba be played by a queer woman of color really makes this theme feel more apparent and relatable for viewers. In the story, Elphaba is othered and discriminated against because of her skin color. This role was made to be played by a person of color as it directly speaks to the experience of Black people in America.
For those who have read the book, there has always been a romantic undertone between Elphaba and Glinda. In part two of the musical, the two even profess their deep feelings for each other in a song: “For Good.”
Glinda’s choice to not publicly defend Elphaba when she is being villainized mirrors the experience of many queer people whose partners are closeted or unwilling to outwardly support them.
Glinda can also represent those who claim to be an ally or support equality, but when the moment comes, do not rise to the occasion. As MLK said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
For many, Elphaba represents standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, fighting against antisemitism or fighting for the rights of any marginalized racial group.
Meanwhile, actors Grande and Erivo were criticized on social media for being overly emotional on the film’s press tour, yet this attack on their vulnerability serves as another example of how women are unfairly stereotyped by the media.
Many people also took to social media to hate the character of Nessarose, played by Marissa Bode. She is disabled in the story, but also in real life. Ironically, this ridicule of these real-life people fully contradicted the message of the story, which is to give a voice to the voiceless and stand up for equality.
Just like a lot of musicals, “Wicked” is not so secretly commenting on real-world issues. Unfortunately, even though the book was written 30 years ago, and the musical has been on Broadway since 2003, the themes are still very applicable and relevant today.
Take a moment to look past the majestic music, the complex choreography or the creative cinematography. We should consider the content of the art we consume to fully appreciate the themes present and the intention of the creators. Art isn’t always just something pretty to look at or to passively enjoy. There may be a lesson to learn.