Latest news with #Defying
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Wicked: For Good' Trailer Sees Glinda and Elphaba's Friendship Tested
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo prepare for the ultimate frenemy confrontation in the new trailer for Wicked: For Good, set to hit theaters Nov. 21. The clip opens with Glinda and Elphaba meeting on a balcony. 'There's no going back,' Elphaba says. 'This is between the Wizard and I.' Elsewhere, there's a snippet of Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), who appears to be head of the guard in charge with finding Elphaba, and another glimpse of Fiyero and Glinda about to be wed — no doubt complicating matters between him and Glinda. More from Rolling Stone Ariana Grande, Pedro Pascal, Sabrina Carpenter Sign Letter for LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Funds Ariana Grande to Marry Into the Fockers After Landing 'Meet the Parents 4' Role Ariana Grande Gets Calmly Abducted by a UFO in 'Supernatural' Video After more teasers of Dorothy and her friends meeting the Wizard — whose propaganda successfully turns the people of Oz against Elphaba, the trailer ends with the bond between Elphaba and Glinda at the heart of the story. 'You're the only friend I ever had,' Elphaba tells Glinda, who responds Elphaba was 'the one that mattered.' Wicked: For Good will pick up immediately after the events of the last year's blockbuster smash, which concluded with Erivo's rendition of 'Defying Gravity.' The song accompanies Elphaba's decision to rebuff Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) after learning they're behind the oppression of animals in Oz, and that they want to use her magical skills for their own gain. This decision also puts Elphaba at odds with Grande's Glinda, with For Good following the two as they become the characters known in The Wizard of Oz: The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. While 'Defying Gravity' is arguably the signature song from the original Wicked musical, For Good will feature plenty of Act Two show-stoppers, including the Elphaba and Glinda duet that gives the sequel its name. Other famous songs include Elphaba's 'No Good Deed' and Elphaba and Fiyero's duet 'As Long as You're Mine.' For Good will also feature two new songs for Glinda and Elphaba, with Grande and Erivo both working alongside the musical's original composer Stephen Schwartz. In an interview with Variety last year, Erivo called her tune 'so special to me,' adding, 'When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it's a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is.' And in an interview earlier this year, Grande said Glinda's new song coincides with a 'pivotal moment' in her journey. 'It shows a side of her we've never seen before. In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage. But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It's a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Wicked' is finally streaming: How to watch the Oscar-winning musical at home
Wicked is finally on Peacock! You can now stream the magical musical that has cast a spell on all our hearts as many times as you want. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the 2024 adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical stars Cynthia Erivo as the future Wicked Witch of the West and Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch in their university days. You can stream both Wicked and Wicked (Sing-Along Version) on Peacock as of Friday, March 21, at 6 a.m. ET, alongside a host of bonus content already available on the platform including Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked. Here's what else to know about how to watch Wicked at home. Wicked has been out on digital since early February, but the Oscar-winning musical is finally coming to a streaming platform near you. Wicked will land on Peacock on Friday, March 21. Wicked will be available to stream on Peacock beginning at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT. You can also rent Wicked for just $5.99 on Amazon (that's 70% off its usual price), so if you aren't interested in signing up for Peacock but still want to revisit Shiz University, this Amazon deal is a good option. $5.99 $19.99 at Amazon Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in Wicked alongside Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage and Bowen Yang. Titled Wicked: For Good, the second Wicked movie is slated to be released on Nov. 21. But you can stream Wicked to your heart's content while you wait. There's no official trailer or even a teaser out yet forWicked: For Good (though there are some interesting fan-made trailers floating around on YouTube right now).
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Wicked' hits streaming this week: How to watch the Oscar-winning musical at home
Wicked is finally coming to Peacock! Soon you can stream the magical musical that has cast a spell on all our hearts as many times as you want. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the 2024 adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical stars Cynthia Erivo as the future Wicked Witch of the West and Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch in their university days. You'll be able to stream both Wicked and Wicked (Sing-Along Version) starting Friday, March 21, at 6 a.m. ET on Peacock, alongside a host of bonus content already available on the platform including Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked. Here's what else to know about how to watch Wicked at home. Wicked has been out on digital since early February, but the Oscar-winning musical is finally coming to a streaming platform near you. Wicked will land on Peacock on Friday, March 21. Wicked will be available to stream on Peacock beginning at 6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT. You can also rent Wicked for just $5.99 on Amazon (that's 70% off its usual price), so if you aren't interested in signing up for Peacock but still want to revisit Shiz University, this Amazon deal is a good option. $5.99 $19.99 at Amazon Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in Wicked alongside Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage and Bowen Yang. Titled Wicked: For Good, "Wicked 2" is slated to be released on Nov. 21. But you can stream Wicked to your heart's content while you wait. There's no official trailer or even a teaser out yet forWicked: For Good (though there are some interesting fan-made trailers floating around on YouTube right now).
NBC News
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Broadway's ‘Wicked' welcomes Lencia Kebede, its first pioneering full-time Black Elphaba
NEW YORK — Green tears were flowing when Lencia Kebede made history this week on Broadway, becoming the first Black actor to assume the role of Elphaba full time in the Broadway company of 'Wicked.' 'It's hard to even pinpoint a single emotion because I feel that it changes like every five minutes,' she told The Associated Press, still buzzing a day after her debut. 'I woke up and I still sort of felt in the world of Oz.' Kebede, a first-generation Ethiopian American from Los Angeles, spent five years touring with 'Hamilton,' most recently in the role of Angelica Schuyler. Stepping into 'Wicked' on Tuesday marked her Broadway debut. 'Defying Gravity' Kebede had already gone through an emotional wringer by the time the curtain finally came down. She sings the Act 1 showstopper 'Defying Gravity,' shooting into the air and the power of the moment ripped through her. 'When the lights went off at the end of the song, I started sobbing. Not like just a gentle tear. Viscerally, I had to release,' she says. 'I really felt like I was flying, is the simplest way to put it. I felt like I'm doing it myself, though my own power — my vocal power, my emotional power, the power of all of my African ancestors.' 'If I'm flying solo/At least I'm flying free/To those who ground me, take a message back from me/Tell them how I am defying gravity,' she sang. 'Everyone deserves a chance to fly,' says Kebede. 'I'm projecting this message that no matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from, you deserve liberation and you deserve empowerment in the way that the character feels in that moment. It just feels like I'm taking the entire audience in my arms.' Thank goodness it was intermission. 'I needed to regroup,' she says, laughing. 'My makeup artist was like, 'Just let it out, just cry, and then we can clean it up.'' Who was watching Kebede's 'Wicked' debut? In the audience were some 60 family and friends — mom and her aunts and uncles, her many cousins, her boyfriend, pals from other shows, her agent and casting directors, even her college choir director. 'My whole family was in the audience — just everyone who I've ever loved, with everyone who has loved me and supported me through my life is just like under me, lifting me and holding me,' she says. 'It was just so important to me to have people there that I could share this moment with, so I could say to their faces, 'I couldn't be here without a piece of your heart that you gave me.'' A sisterhood of Elphabas The popularity of the Cynthia Erivo-led movie hasn't dampened the appetite for the Broadway version, which opened in 2003 with songs by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Over Christmas, it took in a staggering $5 million over nine performances, marking the highest weekly gross in history for any Broadway show. Kebede joins a sisterhood of green-clad Black women who have played Elphaba, a list that includes Saycon Sengbloh and Lilli Cooper, both Broadway standbys; Brandi Chavonne Massey, a Broadway understudy; and Alexia Khadime, a full-time West End Elphaba. Others who have played the role over the years include Shoshana Bean, Stephanie J. Block, Jessica Vosk, Eden Espinosa, Ana Gasteyer and, of course, Idina Menzel, who won a Tony Award in the role in 2004. A career takes a turn Kebede graduated from Occidental College in 2016 with a double major of diplomacy & world affairs and politics, intending on a career in law or public policy. By her senior year, she had an itch she needed to scratch. 'I just had this creative craving in terms of storytelling in the theatrical way that I was missing,' she says. 'So I sat my mother down and I was like, 'Look, I think I need just a couple years to explore this creative endeavor.'' Her first professional job was a production of 'Memphis' at Musical Theatre West and then a stint at Tokyo Disney and touring in 'Rent.' In addition to years on the road with 'Hamilton,' Kebede also sang backup for Beyoncé during her Coachella rehearsals. 'The rigorous nature of touring, I think, prepared me immensely for this,' she says. 'I do feel very equipped — physically, vocally, emotionally. I feel like I know how to take care of my body and my mind, how I need to cool down emotionally after such an intense experience for three hours.' A magical night On debut night, Kebede tried to keep a set of mental screenshots, a reel of faces and feelings. As she turned to get backstage, she was feeling the love. 'My grandmother and my father passed when I was in high school and I just took a moment to connect with my angels,' she says. 'It was, oh God, it was electric.' Family came backstage after the show for photos and a tour, she was toasted at a nearby bar by friends, she finally ate something and then got home to try to sleep. 'My battery was dead. I mean, I couldn't even move. I couldn't move my face. I was just drinking my tea, playing calming jazz. I had to just turn it off,' she says. And then she had to do it all over again the next night.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Broadway's 'Wicked' welcomes Lencia Kebede, its first pionering full-time Black Elphaba
Green tears were flowing when Lencia Kebede made history this week on Broadway, becoming the first Black actor to assume the role of Elphaba full time in the Broadway company of 'Wicked.' 'It's hard to even pinpoint a single emotion because I feel that it changes like every five minutes,' she told The Associated Press, still buzzing a day after her debut. 'I woke up and I still sort of felt in the world of Oz.' Kebede, a first-generation Ethiopian American from Los Angeles, spent five years touring with ' Hamilton,' most recently in the role of Angelica Schuyler. Stepping into 'Wicked' on Tuesday marked her Broadway debut. 'Defying Gravity' Kebede had already gone through an emotional wringer by the time the curtain finally came down. She sings the Act 1 showstopper 'Defying Gravity,' shooting into the air and the power of the moment ripped through her. 'When the lights went off at the end of the song, I started sobbing. Not like just a gentle tear. Viscerally, I had to release,' she says. "I really felt like I was flying, is the simplest way to put it. I felt like I'm doing it myself, though my own power — my vocal power, my emotional power, the power of all of my African ancestors." 'If I'm flying solo/At least I'm flying free/To those who ground me, take a message back from me/Tell them how I am defying gravity,' she sang. 'Everyone deserves a chance to fly,' says Kebede. 'I'm projecting this message that no matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from, you deserve liberation and you deserve empowerment in the way that the character feels in that moment. It just feels like I'm taking the entire audience in my arms.' Thank goodness it was intermission. 'I needed to regroup,' she says, laughing. "My makeup artist was like, 'Just let it out, just cry, and then we can clean it up.'' Who was watching Kebede's 'Wicked' debut? In the audience were some 60 family and friends — mom and her aunts and uncles, her many cousins, her boyfriend, pals from other shows, her agent and casting directors, even her college choir director. 'My whole family was in the audience — just everyone who I've ever loved, with everyone who has loved me and supported me through my life is just like under me, lifting me and holding me,' she says. 'It was just so important to me to have people there that I could share this moment with, so I could say to their faces, 'I couldn't be here without a piece of your heart that you gave me.'' A sisterhood of Elphabas The popularity of the Cynthia Erivo-led movie hasn't dampened the appetite for the Broadway version, which opened in 2003 with songs by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Over Christmas, it took in a staggering $5 million over nine performances, marking the highest weekly gross in history for any Broadway show. Kebede joins a sisterhood of green-clad Black women who have played Elphaba, a list that includes Saycon Sengbloh and Lilli Cooper, both Broadway standbys; Brandi Chavonne Massey, a Broadway understudy; and Alexia Khadime, a full-time West End Elphaba. Others who have played the role over the years include Shoshana Bean, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, Jessica Vosk and, of course, Idina Menzel, who won a Tony Award in the role in 2004. A career takes a turn Kebede graduated from Occidental College in 2016 with a double major of diplomacy & world affairs and politics, intending on a career in law or public policy. By her senior year, she had an itch she needed to scratch. 'I just had this creative craving in terms of storytelling in the theatrical way that I was missing,' she says. 'So I sat my mother down and I was like, 'Look, I think I need just a couple years to explore this creative endeavor.'' Her first professional job was a production of 'Memphis' at Musical Theatre West and then a stint at Tokyo Disney and touring in 'Rent.' In addition to years on the road with 'Hamilton,' Kebede also sang backup for Beyoncé during her Coachella rehearsals. 'The rigorous nature of touring, I think, prepared me immensely for this,' she says. 'I do feel very equipped — physically, vocally, emotionally. I feel like I know how to take care of my body and my mind, how I need to cool down emotionally after such an intense experience for three hours.' A magical night On debut night, Kebede tried to keep a set of mental screenshots, a reel of faces and feelings. As she turned to get backstage, she was feeling the love. 'My grandmother and my father passed when I was in high school and I just took a moment to connect with my angels,' she says. 'It was, oh God, it was electric.' Family came backstage after the show for photos and a tour, she was toasted at a nearby bar by friends, she finally ate something and then got home to try to sleep. 'My battery was dead. I mean, I couldn't even move. I couldn't move my face. I was just drinking my tea, playing calming jazz. I had to just turn it off,' she says. And then she had to do it all over again the next night.
