Wicked's Jon M. Chu Joins Premiere From Hospital as Wife Gives Birth

As a seasoned observer of the entertainment industry, I must say that the star-studded event of the Wicked premiere left me simply spellbound! With a career spanning three decades and counting, I’ve attended countless premieres, but this one was truly magical.

Oh, what a celebration Jon M. Chu is having today.

The director of the movie “Wicked” was absent from the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on November 9, as his wife, Kristin Hodge, is getting ready to welcome their fifth child. However, just because he wasn’t present in person at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, doesn’t mean Jon wasn’t spiritually present in the Land of Oz.

Absolutely, the 45-year-old took the time to join the live broadcast of the premiere and left some comments that quickly gained a lot of attention.

He said during an Instagram Live on November 9th, “I’m acting like I’m there while my wife is giving birth,” followed by, “I absolutely adore being acknowledged! Haha, it seems the hospital finds me a bit eccentric whenever I get mentioned on the red carpet.

Additionally, he always took care to inform fans about his thrilling endeavors, expressing, “Give a shout-out to me in the cafeteria! I’m enjoying some microwaved pasta here!

Right from the start, Jon has always been open about his excitement when everything seemed to fall perfectly into place, particularly when he managed to secure Ariana Grande for the role of Glinda, the Good Witch, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The fact that Ariana was cast was unexpected.

In an admission to Vanity Fair for their November 2024 issue, he shared, “I found it hard to accept that she was capable of this act. It feels almost simplistic to remark, ‘Ah, Ariana Grande.’

As per Jon, every time she entered, she became the most captivating individual, making it hard not to keep staring at her.

As the 44-year-old looked back at the movie-making process shared with Ariana, Cynthia, and the entire crew, he felt grateful for their dedication and commitment.

He expressed to the Associated Press in September that it was a rare and unique opportunity, one-of-a-kind, as he put it. This film project represented a chance to create something of such magnitude, at a time when the role of cinema within our lives is being redefined and questioned.

He added, “We had to shoot the moon.”

To see more from the Wicked red carpet, keep reading.

(TopMob, Universal Pictures and Fandango are part of the NBCUniversal Family).