Elphaba could have looked very different in Wicked if Cynthia Erivo hadn’t made one crucial decision. The story of Wicked follows Elphaba and Glinda, who become unlikely friends while studying at Shiz University in the world of Oz. Both Erivo and Ariana Grande were perfectly cast as Elphaba and Glinda. Even though the ending of Wicked sees them split up, the majority of the movie follows the two of them as they become friends and eventually travel to Emerald City together.

While there are many supporting characters in the cast of Wicked, the movie wouldn’t have been successful if audiences didn’t buy the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Therefore, there was a lot of pressure on Erivo and Grande to faithfully portray the iconic characters. Erivo’s character is especially unique, since Elphaba has green skin in Wicked. Elphaba, who eventually becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is one of the most recognizable characters from the original Wizard of Oz movie. Thankfully, Erivo made one major decision that potentially saved the design of Elphaba in Wicked.

Wicked Considered Making Elphaba Green Using CGI Instead Of Paint

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

Before filming for Wicked commenced, director Jon M. Chu considered using CGI to make Elphaba green, rather than paint. Even though using paint was always the ideal option for Chu, he realized that whoever portrayed Elphaba would have to be covered in green paint for extremely long hours, day in and day out. Therefore, Chu recognized that he couldn’t make an actor have paint on them all day, and was ready to use CGI to turn Elphaba’s skin green instead.

However, when Erivo was cast as Elphaba in Wicked, she also recognized that being painted would result in the best outcome. Therefore, when she was given the choice between green paint or CGI, Erivo chose paint. Since Erivo was comfortable being painted every day, Chu and the creative team dismissed the CGI idea and proceeded how they originally wanted to.

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 choice between green paint and CGI, paint was an easy choice for Erivo. In behind-the-scenes interviews while making Wicked, Erivo expressed that she truly wanted to embody Elphaba. For Erivo, being painted green allowed her to portray Elphaba more effectively. Erivo enjoyed being able to completely transform into her character, and felt that it allowed her to relate to Elphaba more.

Since Elphaba is viewed as an outcast for her green skin at the beginning of Wicked, Erivo has admitted that it was helpful to walk on set every day and have everyone stare at her while she too had green skin. Additionally, she also recognized that being painted would make Elphaba look better in the finished movie. Erivo wanted to ensure that her skin still looked textured and detailed in the finished movie, and knew that being painted every day was the only way to achieve that result.

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

Bad CGI Could Have Ruined Wicked

Painting Erivo green for Wicked was clearly the right choice, as opting for CGI could have easily backfired. Since Elphaba is the main character in Wicked, there was a lot of pressure on the creative team to nail her design. Changing Erivo’s skin to green may have been easier for the actor, but it most likely would have led to Elphaba looking worse in the final movie. Since Elphaba is featured more than any other character in Wicked, unimpressive CGI could have led to the movie receiving a more negative response.

Painting Erivo green also allowed Elphaba to look consistent in every scene. If Chu and the team behind Wicked opted for CGI instead, one moment of weak CGI could have overshadowed the positive elements of Wicked. Additionally, Erivo might have been more restricted in making changes to Elphaba’s appearance if CGI was used. Since she was painted, how Elphaba looks in the final release is exactly how she looked on set. If CGI was used, Elphaba likely would have been a less detailed character in Wicked, which would have been very disappointing for longtime fans of the musical and novel.