In case you hadn’t seen the hundreds of ads, the Wicked movie is now streaming on Peacock.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, this film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s Tony-winning 2003 musical was one of the biggest movies of 2024, both in terms of box office and cultural impact. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, before she turned evil. Glinda the Good Witch, aka Galinda (played by Ariana Grande), is key to Elphaba’s villain origin story. Because before they were enemies, these two witches were the best of friends.
But don’t let the title fool you. Though the movie name was changed from Wicked: Part 1 to simply Wicked, this movie only covers Act 1 of the Broadway musical. The next movie, Wicked: For Good, is expected in theaters November 2025. If you’ve seen the musical, however, you already know what’s coming—like, for example, the revelation about Elphaba’s real father.
If you don’t want to wait for Part 2, read on to learn about Elphaba’s father and why Elphaba’s skin is green.
Warning: Major Wicked: For Good spoilers ahead!
Is The Wizard Elphaba’s dad in Wicked?
Spoiler alert: Yes, the wizard is Elphaba’s biological, illegitimate father in the Wicked musical.
In the song “No One Mourns the Wicked” Elphaba’s mother, Melena Thropp (actress Courtney-Mae Briggs), has an affair with a mysterious traveler, cheating on her husband, Governor Thropp (Andy Nyman). Though we never see the mysterious man’s face in the Wicked movie, if you listen closely you’ll hear that his voice sounds a like the Wizard of Oz, aka Jeff Goldblum. That’s because it is, in fact, Goldblum’s voice on the track.
In Act 2 of the stage musical (and, presumably, in Part 2 of the movie) it’s revealed that the Wizard did not know that his one-night stand with Melena resulted in a baby. He only learns that Elphaba was his daughter at the end of the show, after she dies. After he learns this, he mourns her, and agrees to leave Oz. Elphaba, likewise, never learns the identity of her true father. It’s extra heart-breaking, because the Wizard sings about wanting to be a father in “A Sentimental Man.” The fact that Elphaba is the child of both a human from earth (the wizard) and a being from Oz (Melena) is said to be the reason that her powers are so strong.
That said, in the Wicked book, which the musical was adapted from, Elphaba does learn that the Wizard is her father, from The Clock of the Time Dragon. If we had to guess, we assume Part 2 of the movie will follow in the steps of the musical, and have Elphaba die before she learns the truth.
Why is Elphaba green in Wicked?
Elphaba is green in Wicked because her biological parents drink a “green elixir” while pregnant with her. In fact, they state this quite clearly in the first song after the overture, “No One Mourns the Wicked.” Open your ears, people!
Elphaba’s father sings to Elphaba’s mother in the song, “Have another drink of green elixir, and we’ll have ourselves a little mixer.”
While it’s not clear, what, exactly, the green elixir is, it’s clear that Mrs. Thropp is partying it up with her lover, and probably getting drunk. Some fans say it’s meant to be absinthe. I’ve always imagined it’s some sort of magical, bright green, citrus-flavored, alcoholic liqueur, similar to Blue Curaçao. (Fun fact, in the Broadway stage show, they use green mouthwash for the elixir.)
You know how when you have a brightly colored alcohol beverage, drink too much, and vomit that color? It’s like that.
The post ‘Wicked:’ Is The Wizard Elphaba’s Dad? And Why Is Elphaba Green? appeared first on Decider.
