With the release of “Wicked: For Good,” the saga of the singing witches comes to a close. It also represents the conclusion of two full years of press for these films, years filled with tearful interviews and high-fashion photo calls. Even if you only had a passing interest in this two-part adaptation of the stage musical with a revisionist take on Ozian history, it was impossible to escape the color-coded promotions that the stars Cynthia Erivo (who plays the green-faced Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (as the pink-clad Glinda) did for the 2024 “Wicked” and the new sequel. The women were everywhere, quite literally globe-trotting, to get the word out. Along the way they demonstrated the benefits and limitations of this kind of exuberant marketing push. Here are some of the highs and lows.
The Copious Tears
The press tours for both movies were practically sodden. Sitting for a New York Times feature last year, both women started weeping when discussing the movie. Then, in a conversation for the YouTube channel Jake’s Takes to promote the first movie, Grande let the waterworks flow again when the two were asked, “In what way has the person sitting next to you changed you for good?” As she held hands with Erivo, she replied, “Truthfully, we’re a bunch of crybabies over here.” And the tears are still flowing. When they were asked a similar question this year by the French interviewer known as Sally, Erivo told Grande, “I hope you will be there for the rest of my life.” Grande, through sobs, replied, “I will be, and I hope you will be, too.” As she continued, Erivo dotted her cheeks with her fingers. Bursting into tears this much can run the risk of seeming like a put-on, but in this case it just served to enhance the theater-kid energy that Grande and Erivo brought to this project. They acted like co-stars of a high school play overflowing with BFF-earnestness, and that helped to sell the themes of “Wicked,” which itself is all about friendship.
The On-Theme Fashion
One could argue that the press tour began in March 2024, more than seven months before the first film’s release, when Grande and Erivo presented best original score at the Oscars. What were they wearing? Well, voluminous pink and green gowns, of course. Thus began two years of thematic dressing for the pair, who decided to embody their characters offscreen as well as on. Grande gravitated toward baby pink, princess-adjacent attire, while Erivo went for greens and blacks with a gothic bent. In the “For Good” era, they eased up on their commitment to the bit — a little. At the London premiere this month, Grande even wore black, though it’s worth noting that look had a covert Oz connection. It was designed by the couturier known as Adrian, who worked on “The Wizard of Oz” (1939). Themed-dressing really took off with Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” looks in 2023, and while Grande and Erivo weren’t quite so explicit, they still used the trend to their advantage. After all, what is “Wicked” if not “Wizard of Oz” cosplay?
The Finger Grab
No stop on the Yellow Brick Road of “Wicked” press has made more of an impact than the moment the journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist told Erivo and Grande that she had seen people “holding space” for the lyrics of “Defying Gravity,” the Elphaba number that closes the first movie. Erivo looked stunned. Grande gazed at her co-star intently, and, in a gesture that became instantly memed, grabbed one of Erivo’s fingers. Grande later told Variety she didn’t know “what any part of it meant,” but she started a movement. Recently when members of the cast of “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” sat with Gilchrist for an interview, they reacted with gasps to her presence and held each other’s fingers in homage.
The Missing Hat
At the 2024 London premiere of “Wicked,” Erivo took to the carpet in a funky hat with a long plume on top. At the follow-up event this year, a woman approached her on the street and explained that she had found the hat after the screening and held onto it. Erivo leaped back in amazement, offering an instantly viral reaction. (It’s not the only time one of her gestures has become internet fodder: See the time she tapped her head with her long nails at the National Board of Review ceremony earlier this year.) Eventually, Erivo was reunited with her chapeau. Considering that a hat plays a major role in the “Wicked” story line, the situation felt particularly serendipitous. It also highlighted the ways in which Grande and Erivo pounded the pavement for these movies, almost like politicians on the campaign trail trying to engender good will with voters.
The Premiere Snafu
Not all fan interactions have been so sweet. After Grande had to miss the Brazil premiere of “For Good” because of plane troubles, she posted on Instagram, “Please don’t wish danger on us,” continuing, “We did everything we could and I promise you no one is more upset than I am.” Her words were an indication of how the press tour phenomenon has taken on a life of its own. The fan outrage over what amounted to a travel mishap became an example of the parasocial relationships audiences have with celebrities. Presence is demanded and anything else is a betrayal.
The Red-Carpet Crasher
Things took a turn for the genuinely frightening at the “Wicked: For Good” premiere in Singapore when an Australian influencer, Johnson Wen, stormed the carpet and barreled toward Grande, putting his arm around her. Erivo immediately put herself between Wen and Grande, pushing him aside and seemingly reacting faster than the security team surrounding the cast. If nothing else, it was a sign that Erivo is truly as fiercely devoted to Grande as their interviews would imply. Wen was sentenced to nine days in jail.
The Silenced Star
There’s perhaps something symbolic in the fact that during the final “Wicked: For Good” premiere, held in New York, Erivo had lost her voice and could barely speak. Before the event, Grande and Erivo collectively announced through a representative that they would be forgoing interviews because of Erivo’s illness. However, they did stop to chat with E! for the official livestream, and Grande did most of the talking. Erivo eked out a few words about how it was “beautiful” that they were finishing the journey in New York, where it started. Her famous pipes were truly decimated. Later that week, Grande announced on Instagram that she had come down with Covid. The press tour had felled both witches, as good a sign as any that it had run its course.
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