Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead the cast of Universal Pictures’ Wicked, bringing the Broadway musical’s magic to the big screen in the form of a two-part feature film. Wicked: Part One hit theaters in 2024, with Part Two is slated to arrive in 2025. The Wicked movie adapts the Broadway musical for an expanded audience, drawing direct inspiration from the production that premiered in 2003. The musical was based on Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which was inspired by L. Frank Baum’s classic Wizard of Oz books.

Set years before Dorothy’s journey in the mystical land of Oz, Wicked traces the origins of Elphaba (the so-called Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (aka Glinda the Good Witch) as they clash over their differing perspectives on the Wizard’s corrupt government. Directed by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights), the two-part movie adaptation of Wicked features a talented ensemble filling those roles and others. Fans can find the Wicked cast in a variety of other franchises and projects, including Jurᴀssic Park, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more.

Cynthia Erivo

Elphaba Thropp

Actor: Cynthia Erivo, 37, was born to Nigerian parents in London, England in 1987. Erivo is best known for starring as Celine Harris in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017, a role that won her a Tony Award. The actor transitioned to films, getting her breakout role in 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale. She played soul singer Darlene Sweet, capitalizing on her vocal talent, which she utilized in both The Color Purple and more recently again as part of the Wicked cast. Erivo also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for portraying American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet.

Character: Erivo leads the Wicked cast as the eponymous antihero Elphaba Thropp. Starting out at Shiz University with Galinda, she is often picked on by others for her green complexion. Elphaba eventually becomes a freedom fighter to revolt against the corrupt Wizard of Oz. However, her tragic character arc paints her as the villainous Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba is a particularly sensitive character, and Erivo explores many of her more nuanced personality traits throughout Wicked. The fact that she’s a gifted singer makes her a perfect fit to lead the Broadway adaptation.

Cynthia Erivo has received numerous accolades for playing Elphaba in the Wicked cast. These include a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motiona Picture – Musical or Comedy, and an Oscar Nomination for Best Actress.

Ariana Grande

Glinda Upland

Actor: Ariana Grande, 30, was born in Boca Raton, Florida in 1993. She’s best known for her career as a Grammy-winning pop singer, and she’s got numerous chart-topping albums under her belt, including My Everything and Dangerous Woman. Grande’s rise to fame started with her role as Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon’s Victorious series, but she’s come a long way since her time as a child star. Grande has appeared in other well-known movies as an adult, including Netflix’s Don’t Look Up. However, Wicked marks her first time playing the lead in a feature film.

Character: Glinda Upland is beautiful, popular, and on her way to eventually becoming Glinda the Good Witch. She is Elphaba’s roommate at Shiz University, and despite some initial enmity between the characters, she shares a close friendship with her. However, Glinda’s opposing ideologies and a common love interest between the two lead to bad blood. She’s forced to grapple with the corruption of the systems she’s always benefited from, as well as what they mean for her friendship with Elphaba.

Playing Glinda in Wicked earned Ariana Grande the most accolades of her acting career so far, and include nominations at both the Oscars and Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actress.

Jonathan Bailey

Fiyero Tigelaar

Actor: Jonathan Bailey, 35, was born in Wallingford, Oxfordshire in 1988. Bailey has risen to fame thanks to his role as Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s hit romance series Bridgerton, but he had a long acting history prior to joining the show. Other noteworthy television projects include Broadchurch and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and he’s also appeared in a single episode of Doctor Who. On the film front, his biggest role is probably Herod in The Young Messiah – though he’s also set to appear as Dr. Henry Loomis in Jurᴀssic World Rebirth. Bailey is also a Laurence Olivier Award-winning theater actor.

Character: Bailey portrays Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked, a Winkie prince who is initially in love with Glinda but later in the Wicked story has a romantic relationship with Elphaba. This is an ill-fated romance, as it eventually causes trouble for the affable but naive royal. Beyond his good looks, Fiyero is a tragic character who’s pressured by his royal duties and social demands. After Bailey’s time in Bridgerton, he is well suited for such a role.

Jeff Goldblum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Actor: Jeff Goldblum, 71, was born in West Homestead, Pennsylvania in 1952. Goldblum has many great movies under his belt, but his breakout role was as Michael Gold in the 1983 film The Big Chill. He’s appeared in many successful films since, becoming known for roles in major franchises like Jurᴀssic Park and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His standalone movies like The Fly and Deep Cover have also showcased his acting skills, which are all on full display in Wicked.

Character: The Wizard is the main antagonist in Wicked, harboring corrupt plans to take over Oz. He relies on his charm to coerce people into doing his dirty deeds. He even temporarily manages to get Elphaba under his influence. Goldblum’s Wicked character is reminiscent of his sly, smooth-talking Grandmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and his MCU appearance proved even before he was announced for the Wicked cast just how suited he was to play The Wizard

Peter Dinklage

Dr. Dillamond

Actor: Peter Dinklage is a celebrated on-screen presence, and currently holds the record for most Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (which he has taken home four times). Outside of voicing Dr. Dillamond in Wicked, Peter Dinklage is best known for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. This is far from his only role, however, and he’s also known for his incredible performances in the likes of 2004’s The Station Agent and 2021’s Cyrano.

Character: Peter Dinklage voices Dr. Dillamond in Wicked, a talking goat who serves as the history professor of Shiz university. Forming a near-instant friendship with Elphaba, Dr. Dillamond provides an important moral compᴀss and emotional support structure for Elphaba throughout the events of Wicked. Later on in the story he also becomes central to the core themes of prejudice and alientation.

Ethan Slater

Boq

Actor: Ethan Slater, 31, was born in Washington D.C. in 1992. Slater’s primarily a theater actor, and his breakout role was as SpongeBob SquarePants in The SpongeBob Musical. Although he’s appeared in theater productions and held minor roles in popular TV shows, Slater’s biggest screen project to date is Wicked.

Character: In Wicked, Boq is a munchkin who falls in love with Glinda and later becomes the Tin Man. He’s a gullible and harmless character who fails in his efforts to woo his romantic interest. The submissive Boq also has his own tragic story, as he is on the receiving end of Nessarose’s anger. This Wicked role tapped into the playful nature Slater evoked in his Tony-nominated performance as SpongeBob SquarePants.

Michelle Yeoh

Madame Morrible

Actor: Michelle Yeoh, 61, was born in Ipoh, Malaysia in 1962. Her breakout role was in the 1997 James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, where she played the character Wai Lin. Yeoh has since appeared in a number of renowned martial arts films, blockbuster hits, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Netflix’s Witcher franchise, and Star Trek: Discovery. She won the Academy Award for Best Lead Actress for her performance as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once, becoming the first woman of Chinese descent to take home the gold in this category.

Character: Madame Morrible doubles as the headmistress of Shiz University and the press secretary to Oz. The stern authority figure is as clever and corrupt as the Wizard, and she’s the first to exploit Elphaba’s powers. She’s one of the most influential figures in Oz, and she does quite a bit of damage before she gets her comeuppance.

Marissa Bode

Nessarose Thropp

Actor: Marissa Bode is an actor who grew up in Los Angeles, California and began acting at the age of eight. Her career has primarily seen her starring in plays and musicals, including Peter Pan, Marry Poppins, and Little Shop of Horrors (via IMDb). On-screen, Bode has only appeared in two shorts. Wicked marks her feature film debut, and her stellar performance proved she tapped into her background in theater to bring Nessarose Thropp to life in the musical adaptation. Bode’s casting is one of the things that the Wicked movie gets right, as she is the first wheelchair user to play the role, which is faithful to how the character is written.

Character: Bode plays Elphaba’s younger sister, Nessarose Thropp, in the Wicked movie adaptation. Elphaba resents Nessarose for her beauty, even though Nessarose goes down a dark path similar to that of her older sister. A manipulative and mean-spirited individual, she is largely a morally gray character in the story.

Bowen Yang

Pfannee

Actor: Bowen Yang, 33, was born in Queensland, Australia in 1990. An actor, comedian, and writer, Yang is best known for his time on Saturday Night Live, which has earned him multiple Emmy nominations for both writing and acting. In addition to his work on the sketch comedy series, Yang also earned raves for playing the cynical romantic Howie in the Pride & Prejudice-inspired movie, Fire Island. He has also had roles in movies like Bros and Good Burger 2, and he’s lent his voice to animated series like Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Monsters at Work.

Character: Pfannee is one of Glinda’s college friends and can be best described as snobby and superficial. Pfanne befriends Glinda during her earliest years at Shiz University and imparts some of her negative personality traits upon her. Yang’s comedic roots make him perfect for the role, as he’ll give the character a strong presence despite her having a minor role.

Wicked Movie Supporting Cast & Characters

The Movie’s Supporting Cast Includes Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, & More

Bronwyn James as ShenShen: Another one of Glinda’s friends from college, ShenShen is proud of her aristocratic origins and usually harbors a catty atтιтude. She is played by Bronwyn James, who previously appeared as good-spirited Sєx worker Fanny Lambert in Harlots. James also portrayed the responsible paranormal investigator Sergeant Wade in Lockwood & Co.

Keala Settle as Miss Coddle: The Wicked cast includes the new character Miss Coddle, who was created for the movie. Before her Wicked casting, Keala Settle played the bearded lady Lettie Lutz in The Greatest Showman, providing her voice for the Oscar-nominated track “This Is Me.” She is also a familiar face on Broadway, having earned Tony and Drama Desk nominations.

Aaron Teoh Guan Ti as Avaric Tenmeadows: Prince Fiyero’s close friend Avaric is played by Aaron Teoh. Teoh previously had an uncredited role as an LEP officer in Artemis Fowl. Wicked will be the actor’s first credited role.

Colin Michael Carmichael as Doctor Nikidik: When it comes to the faculty at Shiz University, the Wicked cast features Colin Michael Carmichael as the life science teacher, Doctor Nikidik. Carmichael played the reality-show-obsessed civilian Kai in the Black Mirror episode “Fifteen Million Merits.” Carmichael was also a service station clerk in the movie H๏τ Fuzz.

Additionally, both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who played Elphaba and Glinda in the hit Broadway run of the Wicked musical, cameoed in the “One Short Day” sequence of the movie. Their appearance is brief, but an incredibly valuable nod tho the importance of the source material.