Bethany Weaver Plays Dorothy in ‘Wicked: For Good’

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Now that Colman Domingo is confirmed to voice the Cowardly Lion, everyone’s been wondering who will play Dorothy in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming movie. The answer might surprise some, as the role goes to a relatively unknown British actress named Bethany Weaver. She’s new to the scene, so you likely haven’t heard of her yet, but she’ll be stepping into the iconic role of Dorothy Gale.

Since the movie Wicked came out in 2024, people have been wondering how Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz would be portrayed. The film needs to give Dorothy a bigger role than she had in the original Broadway musical. Despite actress Ariana Weaver playing Dorothy, the movie won’t reveal much of her face. Director Jon M. Chu wants to keep the focus on the stories of the witches, Elphaba and Glinda.

Early trailers for Wicked showed a glimpse of Dorothy from behind, and she briefly appeared skipping down the Yellow Brick Road at the start of the first film. However, her role later in the story was kept secret until recently. Director Chu had previously stated he didn’t want to focus the movie on a new version of Dorothy, and explained:

He told People he didn’t want to interfere with anyone’s pre-existing ideas about the character of Dorothy. He emphasized that the story still centers on Elphaba and Glinda, and Dorothy is simply caught up in their conflict.

Over the past century, many actresses have played Dorothy in various adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, from a silent film in 1910 to Judy Garland’s iconic performance in 1939, and in more recent films. Given this history, it’s understandable why the director of Wicked: For Good chose to feature Dorothy more subtly. In the musical, Dorothy appears only as a shadowy figure during a key moment, meaning a large role for her wasn’t necessary – she just needed to be present enough to move the story forward.

Who Is Bethany Weaver?

You likely don’t know Bethany Weaver yet, but she’s the newest actress to play Dorothy. She trained in dance and musical theater at the Guildford School of Acting and Laine Theatre Arts in the U.K. While she’s only appeared in one professional project – the 2020 music video All I Longed to See – For the Beirut Emergency Appeal – her small role in Wicked: For Good could be the start of a promising Hollywood career.

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2025-11-18 14:47