Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo pen emotional farewell to Wicked characters

19 hours ago7 min read4 comments

The final curtain has descended on their journey to the Emerald City, and the actresses who brought Elphaba and Glinda to life in the long-awaited 'Wicked' film adaptation have offered a poignant, lyrical farewell to the characters that have clearly left an indelible mark on their own lives. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, in a move that feels more like a heartfelt note passed between castmates than a studio-mandated press release, shared an emotional message on their social media channels, a bittersweet coda to their years-long immersion in Oz.'Take my hand and walk with me to the end of this road paved with gold, and hopefully, the things that I’ve found might find you too,' they wrote, a line that resonates with the very themes of friendship and self-discovery that form the backbone of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s masterpiece. This isn't just promotional fodder; it's a genuine reflection of the transformative power of live-performance-turned-cinematic-epic, a sentiment any theatre veteran would recognize.The road to bringing 'Wicked' to the silver screen was itself a dramatic saga, spanning nearly a decade of development hell, director changes, and the immense pressure of adapting one of Broadway's most beloved and profitable properties—a show that has fundamentally reshaped modern musical theatre since its 2003 debut, creating a global fanbase with an almost religious fervor. Casting Grande, a pop superstar with roots on Nickelodeon, as the bubbly Galinda (later Glinda) and Erivo, a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-winning stage titan, as the misunderstood Elphaba, was a stroke of genius that balanced box-office appeal with formidable acting and vocal chops, a duality that mirrors their characters' own journey.Their public farewell suggests a deep, off-screen bond forged in the crucible of this massive production, a connection that undoubtedly fuels the on-screen chemistry required to sell one of pop culture's most complex female friendships. For fans, this message serves as the perfect prologue to the film's release, a soft, emotional landing that promises a portrayal steeped in respect and affection for the source material.It speaks to the unique magic of theatre, where actors don't just play a part; they live and breathe it for months or years, and the process of letting go is its own kind of powerful, personal defying of gravity. The golden road they mention is both the glittering path of the yellow brick road and the golden opportunity they were given, and their hope that the lessons of courage, acceptance, and the true meaning of being 'changed for good' will now pass from them to the audience watching in darkened theatres worldwide.

#Ariana Grande

#Cynthia Erivo

#Wicked

#musical

#film

#farewell

#featured

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