The long-awaited movie Wickedfrom director Jon M. Chu, had its world premiere at the State Theater in Sydney, Australia, last week, and at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Between those days, and moving toward widespread release in theaters, it’s all about promotional push through interviews, appearances and social media posts.
While in the midst of promotional mode, the film’s two stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, apologized for all the tears they’ve been shedding while talking about their friendship and the film.
‘We have cried 500 times today. And honestly, this is a public service announcement. “I’m so sorry guys,” Grande, 31, was heard saying in a give-and-take with Erivo in a video shared by MY! News.
“It is what it is,” added his British-born co-star. “There’s just nothing we can do about it.”
Cynthia Erivo, 37, and Ariana Grande, 31, have apologized for all the crying they’ve been doing while promoting Wicked and talking about their budding friendship.
The two Wicked stars have formed a close friendship and bond since being named part of the cast in late 2021; They are seen on the red carpet at the premiere in Los Angeles
Grande chimed in again: ‘I can’t imagine it, and you know what? If you’re going to comment on how annoying it is, I’ll say it first,’ she said, sitting next to Erivo for an interview. ‘I said it first. I’m upset. I’m tired. My tear ducts… I’m tired, emotionally tired.’
“We’ve overcome something huge, huge and we’ve really stuck together,” Erivo, 37, explained.
“Yes, the things you don’t see are the most special,” Ariana added as the two women sounded like old friends or a married couple.
They would apologize again when Erivo and Grande, who play Elphaba Thropp/Wicked Witch Of The West and Glinda The Good Witch Of The North, respectively, attended the premiere in Los Angeles on Saturday.
‘We are sorry. It just happens. It happens. We can’t help it. “We’re doing our best, but a lot of emotional things happen and we’re just going to move on,” Erivo told ET.
‘Yes, you need to understand. It’s been like three years, people!’ Ariana begs. ‘Why are you so scared of emotional availability?’
Next, the lead actresses will travel to Mexico City, Mexico on Monday, November 11, for the upcoming premiere of Wicked.
From the looks of it, the two leads have formed a great bond, which is understandable considering they have been connected since they were announced as leads in late 2021.
‘We have cried 500 times today. And honestly, this is a public service announcement. I’m so sorry guys,’ Grande, 31, was heard saying in a give-and-take with Erivo in a video shared by E! News
They would apologize again when Erivo and Grande, who play Elphaba Thropp/Wicked Witch Of The West and Glinda The Good Witch Of The North, respectively, attended the premiere in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Filming on the 2024 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked lasted about a year, with principal photography beginning in December 2022 in England.
But filming stopped in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, only to resume after the winter break of that same year and finally conclude in January 2024.
Remember, director Jon M. Chu decided to film the Wicked adaptation in two separate films, meaning the cast and crew will be doing all the promotional interviews again this time next year.
Wicked is the origin story of ‘a green-skinned woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West’, and serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, exploring the narrative before Dorothy’s arrival and delving into the ancient friendship between the characters Elphaba and Glinda.
Wicked: Part One hits US theaters on November 22, and the sequel, Wicked Part Two, will follow next year, opening in theaters on November 21, 2025.
Along with Erivo and Grande, the film’s cast also includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, Peter Dinklage, Aaron Teoh, Greece Peace, Colin Michael Carmichael, Adam James and Andy Nyman.
The film is about an unlikely friendship that develops between Elphaba and Glinda, two warring witches in the magical land of Oz.
Elphaba is wrongly portrayed as an evil witch as she seeks to expose the fraudulent and corrupt wizard who rules the land.
Wicked: Part One hits US theaters on November 22, and then the sequel, Wicked Part Two, will follow next year and will be released in theaters on November 21, 2025.