The Wicked costume designer has said the musical starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo tells a story about race and how society can ‘vilify’ people for their appearance.
Tony Award winner Paul Tazewall told British newspaper The Telegraph that the character, who has green skin, “resonates with race and how we as modern people view racial differences and how we vilify people of color.” a different breed.”
She added that the film’s theme is “hugely pro-women” and that it will “resonate very strongly for women throughout.”
It comes as actress Erivo said earlier this year that it was “no coincidence” that she was chosen for the role.
“Elphaba’s story is a warning about what it can sometimes mean to have to defend your individuality, your otherness, even when systems of oppression are against you,” he said in a speech at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Annual Gala. earlier this year. year.
Jon Chu’s adaptation of the beloved Broadway production tells the story of Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, and Glinda, the good witch.
After a frenetic press tour and weeks of anticipation, the film will be released in theaters around the world today.
It comes as Grande was accused of ‘queerbaiting’ while reflecting on her Wicked character’s sexuality in a recent interview when she revealed she thought Glinda ‘might be a little bit in the closet.’
Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell has said the musical starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo is a story about race and women.
ynthia Erivo attends the UK premiere of ‘Wicked: Part One’ at the Royal Festival Hall on November 18, 2024 in London
Cynthia Erivo (left) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande (right) as Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of WICKED
The comments were made when the actress and singer sat down with British outlet Gay Times and was asked about fans who consider Glinda and Elphaba to be a romantic duo.
Grande also said that Oz is a “celebration of uniqueness” and added that “everyone is so wonderfully queer and that goes back to the L. Frank Baum books where literally the most commonly used word in the books is ” queer”.’
The star went on to say that “every day in the Emerald City (the capital of the fictional Land of Oz) there is a Pride parade…even like the chickens, those chickens are gay.”
After the interview, fans quickly took to it online, with one writing: “queerbaiting is getting too out of hand.”
Queerbaiting is a marketing technique where creators imply same-sex romance or other LGBTQ+ representation, without actually depicting it.
Another asked: “Why can’t they just be platonic?”
‘OH????’ another simply said.
After weeks of anticipation, the film will be released today in theaters around the world.
The stage adaptation of Wicked debuted on Broadway in 2003 and is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, set before Dorothy Gale’s arrival in Oz, as told in The Wizard of Oz.
Another fan added: ‘Ariana reposts gelphie memes on her story, likes a post about fields of flowers being lesbian colored, says the boy is mine it’s about elphaba and then says glinda is in the closet…’
The stage adaptation of Wicked debuted on Broadway in 2003 and is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, set before Dorothy Gale’s arrival in Oz, as told in The Wizard of Oz, and the 1939 film classic.
The musical production is still valid 21 years later, currently being the fourth longest-running Broadway production in history.