Wicked

Elphaba could have looked very different inWickedif Cynthia Erivo had n’t made one crucial decision . The tarradiddle ofWickedfollows Elphaba and Glinda , who become unlikely friends while studying at Shiz University in the world of Oz . Both Erivo and Ariana Grande were utterly cast as Elphaba and Glinda . Even though theending ofWickedsees them split up , the absolute majority of the movie follows the two of them as they become friends and finally jaunt to Emerald City together .

While there are many supporting fibre in thecast ofWicked , the moving picture would n’t have been successful if audiences did n’t buy the friendly relationship between Elphaba and Glinda . Therefore , there was a batch of pressure on Erivo and Grande to faithfully portray the iconic case . Erivo ’s eccentric is especially unique , sinceElphaba has green peel inWicked . Elphaba , who eventually becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West , is one of the most recognizable characters from the originalWizard of Ozmovie . Thankfully , Erivo made one major decision that potentially lay aside the design of Elphaba inWicked .

Wicked Considered Making Elphaba Green Using CGI Instead Of Paint

Using Paint For Elphaba Was Chu & Erivo’s First Choice

Before filming forWickedcommenced , theater director Jon M. Chu think using CGI to make Elphaba unripened , rather than blusher . Even though using pigment was always the ideal option for Chu , he realized that whoever portrayed Elphaba would have to be covered in green paint for passing long hours , mean solar day in and mean solar day out . Therefore , Chu recognized that he could n’t make an actor have paint on them all mean solar day , and was ready to use CGI to turn Elphaba ’s skin gullible instead .

The Wicked movie , musical , and book are full of Easter eggs to the original Wizard of Oz story , with even Elphaba ’s name being a subtle reference book .

However , when Erivo was cast as Elphaba inWicked , she also acknowledge that being paint would result in the well resultant . Therefore , when she was give the pick between unripened pigment or CGI , Erivo chose rouge . Since Erivo was comfy being painted every day , Chu and the originative team usher out the CGI approximation and proceeded how they originally wanted to .

Wicked - Poster

Cynthia Erivo Wanted To Be Painted Green For Wicked & For A Good Reason

Erivo Knew Being Painted Green For Wicked Was The Right Choice

When given the pick between green paint and CGI , rouge was an well-off option for Erivo . In behind - the - view interview while makingWicked , Erivo expressed that she truly wanted to personify Elphaba . For Erivo , being paint greenish earmark her to portray Elphaba more in effect . Erivo enjoyed being able-bodied to completely transmute into her character , and felt that it take into account her to relate to Elphaba more .

Erivo want to ensure that her hide still seem coarse-textured and detailed in the ruined moving picture .

Since Elphaba is viewed as an castaway for her unripened hide at the beginning ofWicked , Erivo has take that it was helpful to take the air on set every 24-hour interval and have everyone gaze at her while she too had green tegument . Additionally , she also recognized that being painted would make Elphaba look good in the finished motion picture . Erivo wanted to ensure that her tegument still wait textured and detailed in the finished movie , and knew that being painted every daytime was the only way to achieve that result .

An edited image of Elphaba in Wicked with a green background.

Custom Image by Max Ruscinski

Elphaba’s Green Skin Being CGI Could Have Backfired For Wicked

Bad CGI Could Have Ruined Wicked

Painting Erivo green forWickedwas intelligibly the right pick , as opting for CGI could have easily recoil . Since Elphaba is the primary character inWicked , there was a lot of imperativeness on the originative team to nail her intention . convert Erivo ’s pelt to green may have been easier for the actor , but it most likely would have led to Elphaba looking worse in the final motion picture . Since Elphaba is boast more than any other character inWicked , unimpressive CGI could have led to the film receive a more negative response .

Elphaba and Glinda being part up right at the destruction of Wicked is concerning for the succeeder and impact of the coming continuation , Wicked : For Good .

Painting Erivo green also provide Elphaba to look consistent in every prospect . If Chu and the team behindWickedopted for CGI instead , one moment of weak CGI could have overshadow the positively charged element ofWicked . to boot , Erivo might have been more restricted in making change to Elphaba ’s appearance if CGI was used . Since she was painted , how Elphaba looks in the terminal spillage is exactly how she looked on set . If CGI was used , Elphaba likely would have been a less detailed character inWicked , which would have been very disappointing for longtime fans of the melodious and novel .

Elphaba-from-Wicked

Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

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yucky adapts the Broadway musical into a two - part moving picture , comply the unlikely friendship between Elphaba , born with green skin , and Glinda , a democratic aristocrat , in the Land of Oz . As they sail their contrasting route , they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West .

An edited image of Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked with Emerald City in the background.

Headshot Of Cynthia Erivo

Headshot Of Ariana Grande In The 2024 Met Gala

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Wicked