Wicked Fans Think They've Spotted A Major Cameo
Wicked, which already features a stellar ensemble, could soon be adding one more well-known face to its roster of actors.
It was published on Wednesday, August 21, a new featurette for the film about the relationship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande). Fans with keen eyes believe that they have seen Kristin Chenoweth in the background of one of the behind-the-scenes shots in the movie.
One of the fans captioned a screenshot from the teaser for "Wicked" via X, stating, "It seems as though Kristin Chenoweth is visible in the latest featurette for 'Wicked'." The screenshot depicts a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Chenoweth, who is 56 years old. The woman is seen among a group of citizens of Emerald City, performing what could be the musical number "One Short Day."
Fans also speculated about the character that Chenoweth may play in the movie, with many of them believing that she would play Glinda's mother. "If she is Galendas' mother, then Idina Menzel must be Elphabas' mother," that is what one admirer stated in a message that was sent through X. In the original Broadway cast of Wicked, which debuted in 2003, Chenoweth and Menzel, both 53 years old, are credited with being the first to play the roles of Glinda and Elphaba, respectively.
Even more notably, Chenoweth advocated for Grande, who is now 31 years old, to be cast in the role of Glinda in the film musical. "I don't know whether I've ever felt this level of pride before. From the very first day I met you, you were destined for this role,” the Tony winner tweeted in reaction to Grande’s casting in November 2021. “Congratulations @ArianaGrande! The finest Glinda you will be with Cynthia by your side I love you!!”
Based on the novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, Wicked follows the narrative of Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch, starting from their days as odd roommates at Shiz University to the events of The Wizard of Oz.
The adaptation’s cast also features Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, and Bowen Yang as Pfannee.
In the brief, director Jon M. Chu notes that just like the stage performance, the movie’s plot “is about friendship” at its foundation. “And it starts with a really fun look at how these two young women, who are so different from each other, are forced to be roommates and don’t get along at all,” he continued. You may also read this: Lana Condor Shares Sheer Devastation in Heartfelt Tribute After Moms Death
Grande goes on to explain that her “favorite thing about Wicked is that we can all identify pieces of ourselves within both Elphaba and Glinda.” Erivo, 37, complemented her costar’s remarks, stating, “I think that we are all deserving of friendship and kindness and love, no matter who we are, and this film celebrates that.”
Earlier last year, Chenoweth exclusively told Us Weekly that friendship wasn’t initially the emphasis of Wicked’s plot. “The love story is really between the two girls. It’s about their bond,” she shared in May. “It didn’t start out that way, the show. So, Idina and I feel incredibly lucky that we were a part of something that we’re able to truly set a stamp down in this realm of musical theater.”
Chenoweth went on to mention that the production “had problems in the beginning,” but she knew Wicked was going to be a blockbuster after observing crowds’ emotions during the show’s pre-Broadway run in San Francisco. “We did make improvements, the show got better and better, which is what you do in an out-of-town tryout,” she remarked. “But I knew it wasn’t going to matter because it just spoke to people.”
The first of the two Wicked flicks reaches theaters on November 22, with the second due to screen on November 26, 2025.