Let’s Speak About How These Depraved Cameos Got here To Be

These Wicked cameos stunned followers of the unique Broadway musical with a show-stopping second that was greater than blink and also you’ll miss it. If like us, you’re OG cast die-hards, it was extra like a “blink away all of the tears” expertise for those who occurred to catch the movie over its opening weekend.

Depraved director Jon M. Chu revealed how he was in a position to produce a magic trick like no different: sneak in authentic Broadway Elphaba Idina Menzel (Frozen) and Galinda Kristin Chenoweth (Descendants) to function in an prolonged and up to date model of “One Quick Day,” the music during which the witch besties (performed within the film by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, respectively) arrive within the Emerald Metropolis.

“The query for us was, how, and the way a lot are they prepared to do in it, and the way a lot can the story itself deal with it? As a result of they’re such iconic folks and particularly to those roles,” Chu instructed the Hollywood Reporter. In his film, Menzel and Chenoweth seem as troupe actresses portraying “the clever ones” of Ounceswho musically carry out the historical past of the Grimmerie ebook of magic and the way the Wizard got here into the possession of such a robust artifact.

“It was like a mania. [We said], ‘Let’s make them the largest stars of Oz. Let’s make them this iconic legends of Ounceson the stage present, and allow them to current the historical past of Oz. They’d be the clever ladies of Oz.’ It simply appeared to make sense. And [composer] Steven Schwartz—it might need truly come from him from my reminiscence—stated, ‘I do know precisely the way to do it’ as a result of we would have liked some details about the story of the historical past of Oz, plus it could be them, so it could be extra significant.”

Chu recounted how they shot below the quilt of a wet night time in London, “the second they sang the songs and acquired their iconic moments in that, it was lovely. And what was cool concerning the day was, I feel it was actually therapeutic for everyone. … I stated, ‘That is in honor of you. This complete us making this film is an honor of you as a result of we would like you to expertise what we acquired to expertise once we first noticed it, once I went to the theater earlier than it went into Broadway, what it felt like to observe Elphaba and Glinda steal our hearts, you’ve gotten by no means acquired to expertise that. And now we get to try this for you.’”

It was transferring for Depraved‘s new stars to witness. “Ari is crying the entire time. Cynthia was crying the entire time. There was numerous love on that set that day. And so I’m so grateful for them to return on the market. I used to be not concerned with the deal-making. I don’t know what it took to get them there. All I knew is that they have been down and prepared. We simply had at some point to do it.” And it was well worth the massively saved secret, I overtly wept at their look and cheered when Menzel did her signature “Defying Gravity” belt and Chenoweth her Glinda excessive notes.

Winnie Holzman, the musical’s ebook author, additionally seems within the scene as an Emerald Metropolis Ozian resident—and Stephen Schwartz performs the announcer guard who tells Glinda and Elphie, “The Wizard will see you now!”

Depraved Half One is now enjoying in theaters. Half Two arrives November 21, 2025.

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