Since its release in November 2024, the film adaptation of Wicked has commanded both the box office and social media with its catchy soundtrack and breathtaking visuals. Bringing a beloved Broadway musical to the big screen is no small feat, and the star-studded cast and crew delivered a captivating performance that honors the original show while welcoming an entirely new audience.
As you and your students return to the classroom, embrace the buzz and invite your students to learn more about the cast using your school’s Gale In Context: Biography subscription. Gale In Context: Biography includes in-depth portals on many of the film’s leading actors, each featuring well-organized biographical profiles, recent news articles, images, and even podcasts.
Ariana Grande
While the “wicked” Elphaba is the movie’s main character, Ariana Grande’s performance as Glinda is equally memorable. Your students are undoubtedly familiar with Grande’s musical talent, but her charm, humor, and passion for the character helped her achieve the coveted role.
Born in Florida in 1993, Grande was a natural performer from childhood. While her parents’ connections opened certain doors for the aspiring actress, Grande possessed an undeniable talent and charisma all her own.
In her early years, she fell in love with theater and participated in several local productions. By her teens, she started writing music and taking vocal lessons, a decision that would help her land roles in professional theater and a long-term gig on the Nickelodeon hit show Victorious. Grande leveraged her budding stardom and began releasing music independently via YouTube, fostering an early fanbase.
On her path to fame, Grande encountered her own hardships, leading her to become a vocal mental health advocate, even donating $1 million to provide therapy for those in need. Throughout her career, she has won a Grammy, hosted SNL, and been named Billboard’s Woman of the Year. Now, as Glinda the Good Witch, she even swings from a chandelier.
Cynthia Erivo
Despite having won a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Tony, Cynthia Erivo wasn’t as much of a household name prior to Wicked’s release. In the time since, however, the British actress, singer, and songwriter has been dominating the headlines, red carpets, and even internet memes.
Erivo was born in London in 1987 to Nigerian immigrant parents. Despite experiencing racial and economic barriers, Erivo’s mother worked tirelessly to support her daughter’s ambitions. Erivo eventually enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she mastered her craft and soon landed major theater roles.
Erivo’s life is an inspiration. She rose from a single-parent household in a working-class neighborhood to Hollywood stardom. She has spoken candidly about being a person of color in the film and theater industries, which rarely cast black actresses in leading roles. In 2022, she came out as queer, and has since become a champion for equality. Like Elphaba, Erivo had the odds stacked against her but refused to back down. Her authenticity and talent have established her as a leading voice for her generation.
Jon M. Chu
Wicked’s director, Jon M. Chu, is no stranger to Hollywood success. The 45-year-old Californian directed Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 and In The Heights in 2021.
Chu is of Chinese and Taiwanese descent. His parents, both immigrants, ran a successful Bay Area restaurant. They encouraged creativity and, as children, the Chu siblings enrolled in dance classes and studied music. In fifth grade, Chu developed his interest in filmmaking. Using his parent’s clunky video camera, Chu would make mystery and science-fiction movies, casting his siblings in different roles.
After earning a degree in film and television production, Chu received acclaim for his work on the Step Up franchise, showcasing his early talent for blending music and dance on screen while expertly handling themes of identity and diversity. He brought this same passion to the set of Wicked, where he helps tell Elphaba’s powerful story: She is different, but rather than striving to fit in, she flips the script and writes her own version.
Jonathan Bailey
Jonathan Bailey was born for the stage. By age seven, he was cast in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of A Christmas Carol and appeared in Les Misérables the following year. At 36, he has more than 50 acting credits, including a leading role in the beloved Netflix series Bridgerton.
Bailey’s impressive musical theatre background helped him land the role of Wicked’s Fiyero, the love interest of Elphaba and Glinda. He portrays the character with both arrogance and charm, while infusing unexpected vulnerability to an otherwise frivolous personality.
Much like Fiyero, Bailey is himself a complex figure. The actor is deeply private and wrestled for years with his sexuality. He came out publicly in 2018 and has spoken out about the queer experience. Chu, Wicked’s director, shared that Bailey’s playfulness and bravery as an actor made him the perfect choice for the role.
Peter Dinklage
Peter Dinklage has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia, though he didn’t let his differences deter him from his dream to become an actor. The Emmy winner has become a powerful voice for representation in the entertainment industry, best known for his performance as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones.
Dinklage began his professional career in off-Broadway productions before transitioning to film and television. In addition to Game of Thrones, he has appeared in Avengers, The Hunger Games, and Cyrano, finding additional success in voice acting. Despite some frustration with the more cliched, supporting roles, Dinklage developed a biting sense of humor. He recognized that his size wasn’t the problem—rather the narrow-mindedness of others.
His wit and versatility as an actor and advocacy for representation made Dinklage a natural fit for Wicked, in which he plays the inspiring Dr. Dillamond. Like the man who voices him, Dr. Dillamond speaks against stereotypes and hatred for those who don’t “fit in.”
Michelle Yeoh
Born in Malaysia, Michelle Yeoh is another actor in Wicked’s cast who has broken through film industry stereotypes.
Yeoh’s first love was ballet, but she suffered an early injury after enrolling in the Royal Academy of Dance. At her mother’s insistence, Yeoh entered—and won—the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant in 1983. Despite her reluctance, the pageant win would land her an acting opportunity in a commercial with Jackie Chan, which helped launch her early film career.
Yeoh’s commitment to her characters (even performing her own stunts) has made her a global superstar. Her résumé includes roles in blockbusters like Tomorrow Never Dies, Crazy Rich Asians, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In 2023, at age 60, Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Academy Award.
At 62, Yeoh tackles the role of Madame Morrible in Wicked, an impressive if not slightly menacing character. According to director Chu, Yeoh was scared to take on a singing part, but like every challenge, she faced it head-on, stepping out of her comfort zone and committing to vocal lessons.
Jeff Goldblum
Wicked is full of surprises, and one of the best is Jeff Goldblum’s performance as the Wizard of Oz. The 72-year-old actor, best known for his work in Jurassic Park and Independence Day, brings a quirkiness to the iconic Wizard; he even learned tap dancing for the number “A Sentimental Man.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Goldblum developed an early love for acting and music. He studied at Carnegie Mellon University before moving to New York City to pursue his career. Goldblum’s unique, unconventional style might not make him a leading man, but it certainly made him memorable. His career has flourished and earned him a loyal fan base.
Wicked teaches us that differences can make us great, and that our struggles can strengthen us. Thus, it’s only fitting that a diverse and inspiring cast of people who intimately understand the film’s themes should tell us the story. Regardless of age, ability, race, gender, or background, these actors defy expectations—as well as gravity.
Gale In Context: Biography provides a new lens for the buzzing blockbuster, helping students identify with the real, hardworking people behind the story’s fantastical retelling. If your school is not an active subscriber, contact your local representative today to request a trial.