Wicked: For Good’s Bethany Weaver Speaks Out on Secret Dorothy Casting

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Warning: This story contains spoilers from Wicked: For Good.

Bethany Weaver followed the yellow brick road all the way to a dream role.

Once it was announced that she would be playing Dorothy in Wicked: For Good, the English actress and dancer expressed how honored she was to follow in the footsteps of Judy Garland, who famously played the role in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

She shared on Instagram November 23rd, alongside photos from the set, that this experience had profoundly changed her life for the better. She felt honored to follow in the footsteps of the talented women who had previously played the role and hoped she’d done them justice.

Bethany, age 30, expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m so thankful for all the love, kind words, and support I’ve received from my friends, family, and amazing fans. I love you all!”

The director didn’t reveal Bethany’s role until the movie came out on November 21st. He explained that he kept the casting of Dorothy under wraps because it wasn’t a central part of the story.

Jon explained to People in October that he didn’t want to interfere with anyone’s pre-existing ideas about who Dorothy is or how she fits into the story. He clarified that the narrative focuses on Elphaba and Glinda, and Dorothy is simply caught in the middle of their conflict.

The director didn’t reveal Bethany’s role until the movie came out on November 21st. He explained that he kept the casting of Dorothy under wraps because it wasn’t a central part of the story.

Jon explained to People in October that he didn’t want to interfere with anyone’s existing ideas about who Dorothy is or their personal connection to the story. He clarified that the focus is really on Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship, and Dorothy is simply caught in the middle of their journey.

For more Wicked secrets, read on for just a clock tick.

Oh my gosh, can you BELIEVE it? Ariana Grande, my queen, is going to be Glinda in Wicked! It’s seriously a dream come true, especially since she actually met Kristin Chenoweth – the ORIGINAL Glinda! – when she was a little girl! And the best part? She went STRAIGHT to Kristin for advice on everything – how to handle boys, what shoes to wear… everything! It’s just… perfect. I’m already counting down the days!

Ariana Grande told Entertainment Weekly that she and Kristin Chenoweth used to send each other tons of video messages. Chenoweth joked that they sent so many, she actually filled up all the storage space on her device.

The two Elphabas shared a similarly spellbinding connection. 

Cynthia Erivo said she contacted Idina Menzel right away, leaving a voicemail simply to say hello and connect with her.

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth weren’t just making brief appearances in the two-part Wicked film; their roles were more than just cameos. When asked if they would return for the second film, Wicked: For Good, Chenoweth explained to TopMob News that she and Menzel had their time to shine, and now it’s the new cast’s turn to take center stage.

What was the instant connection Erivo felt when she first met Grande? It definitely wasn’t dislike. Erivo explained to Deadline in 2024 that they met at her home and talked for about five hours. “We just clicked immediately,” she said. “It was effortless – we didn’t have to try, we just connected, and it’s stayed that way.”

And, no doubt, it’s changed each star for the better. 

From the moment we met, we both agreed to support each other, and we’ve truly done that throughout our relationship, every step of the way, according to Grande.

Director Jon M. Chu wasn’t sure at the beginning of filming how much of the singing would be done live, but Ariana Grande was adamant that she and Cynthia Erivo perform all the vocals in real time. Erivo agreed, explaining that singing live helped them connect more deeply with the lyrics and with each other.

The unique U.K. filming location truly captured the magic of the movie. As director Chu described it, it felt like experiencing the greatest concert imaginable from the perfect vantage point.

The only real issue during filming was that both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were sick just before they needed to record their most important songs.

Cynthia Erivo told The New York Times she tested positive for Covid the week before filming ‘Defying Gravity.’ She explained it felt like a sign to pause and recover, saying, ‘It was like being told, ‘Hold on, Cynthia, now’s not the time.’

Ariana Grande shared that she joined the set while still recovering from something, wearing a mask during her last days of recovery to learn the choreography for the hallway scene.

And try out a few jokes. 

I remember being in the dorm with her, and I playfully sang into her ear, ‘You’re going to be positive!’ It was funny because, honestly, I wasn’t feeling so positive anymore – I’d already taken the test, so I knew where things stood.

Ariana Grande says she doesn’t remember initially reacting to a specific moment in her performance. She explained on TikTok that when Cynthia Erivo finished a line during the song, Grande instinctively yelled “Right!” and was surprised by her own reaction. She first heard it while listening to a studio recording of the performance, even before seeing the movie, and found it so funny she immediately called director Jon M. Chu while laughing.

Though, added Grande, “For the record, I absolutely do not remember doing this.” 

The lead actors were fully dedicated and willing to trust their gut feelings, even if it meant taking risks. As a result, Cynthia Erivo performed her own stunts, including being suspended by wires to create the illusion of flying. “I expected there would be stunts involved,” she explained in a behind-the-scenes look, “and I really wanted to do them myself.”

She explained that it involved “flying with a corset, a harness, and music,” but added that “when it all comes together, it truly feels like magic.”

During her performance of “Popular,” Ariana Grande swung around on a chandelier. However, it wasn’t her who almost got hurt.

During the first practice run, one of the stunt coordinators was there to prevent me from getting seriously injured, I joked on The Tonight Show. He was standing very still and bravely in the corner, and I accidentally almost kicked him in the face with my foot. He didn’t even flinch and just took it like a champ.

Jonathan Bailey played the role of Fiyero and his performance of “Dancing Through Life” included an impressive set piece. It featured three rotating wheels, each with a ladder built into the center.

At nearly 180 feet long, 145 feet wide, and 45 feet high, the structure was incredibly risky, Chu admitted to Entertainment Weekly. He explained that even getting insurance for the project was a major challenge.

The stunt was quite dangerous – choreographer Christopher Scott admitted he wasn’t even sure if Jonathan Bailey would be allowed to perform in the ‘tornado wheel’ due to safety concerns. He explained, “It made sense, because he has to keep performing, and we couldn’t risk injuring our Fiyero.”

Rather than using automated systems, they hired engineers to watch the performance and manually adjust the speed to match the performers’ movements as they jumped, spun, and danced.

Erivo chose to have her skin airbrushed rather than digitally altered to appear green.

In an Instagram video, she described wanting to create a character who felt real and vibrant. She explained she envisioned a woman with green skin that didn’t look flat, but instead had a natural texture, complete with freckles and realistic shading. The character’s green eyes, she added, weren’t just a surface feature, but a part of her inherent identity.

They dubbed her particular shade “Cynthia Green.” 

To create consistent freckles, Cynthia Erivo had a mold made of her face. They poked tiny holes in the mold, then used it like a stencil to airbrush on freckles that would last, as she explained on The Kelly Clarkson Show in November 2024.

Despite her many piercings, the actress agreed to a simple compromise suggested by the production team instead of hiding them.

Erivo told Elle she has so many piercings that the production team had to create fake ears for her to wear. She clarified, ‘Those aren’t my ears!’

She explained to Elle that painting could take up to four hours, depending on the level of detail—specifically, how much of the figure she included, from the head and chest to the hands and entire body.

Ariana Grande, however, felt her transformation was much simpler – she joked that all it took was three clicks of her heels. In a behind-the-scenes clip, she explained she spent the least amount of time in the chair. The process for her involved covering tattoos, carefully applying a wig, and a makeup routine that ultimately led her to rethink her overall approach to makeup.

Oh my gosh, she was talking about her makeup look and it was EVERYTHING! She said she wasn’t doing the super dramatic, thick eyeliner or anything heavy in the crease, which I totally get. But the lashes! She did them in this amazing cat shape – still giving that lift I adore, but it looked so much more…real, you know? Like, it actually looked like her, not just a makeup fantasy. I’m obsessed!

Ariana Grande was thrilled to wear Glinda’s famous, fluffy pink gown. She described the outfit as being filled with “pink and fluff” and was amazed by the incredible detail. It took 225 hours and over 20,000 beads to create, and she was so impressed she almost had a heart attack!

Elphaba’s costume was carefully designed. Costume designer Paul Tazewell drew inspiration from the textures of mushrooms and fungi, creating a “beautiful pleated dress,” as described by Cynthia Erivo, that felt like velvet with layers of purple and lace.

According to Tazewell, the material is created by layering a finely pleated fabric onto a foundation, which gives it a wavy texture.

The set designers paid incredible attention to every single detail. For example, the train traveling to Emerald City actually weighed 16 tons and took two days to move into position. And the vibrant fields of Munchkinland weren’t created with computer effects; instead, nine million real tulips were planted across 25 acres in Norfolk to make the scene come alive.

Chu observed that they carefully built the forest of Oz, making sure to maintain a broad view despite focusing on the details.

He explained, offering a glimpse behind the scenes, that the success was due to careful attention to detail. He was amazed by the process – how something could start as simple drawings and ideas, and ultimately become a reality they could all experience together.

Knowing Ariana Grande well, Kristin Chenoweth delighted her with custom jackets. The jackets were painted by Janan Studio and then decorated with crystals by Haus of Crystals.

In December 2024, the Broadway star shared a sweet on-set moment on Instagram, describing leading their daughter as ‘a little physical memento of our ‘passing of the wand.'”

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo proved their close bond with matching tattoos that complete each other. Grande shared on The Kelly Clarkson Show that they intentionally got the tattoos placed on opposite sides of their bodies, so they touch when they hold hands. They joked that they now have ‘for good’ on their hands, referencing the song from Wicked.

They also got matching poppy flowers and hearts, and Erivo drew a broom and a hat on her arms.

Erivo told Elle she feels like she’s gained a sister, explaining that she and the other woman felt an instant connection.

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2025-11-25 00:57