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Now that Wicked is finally in theaters, eagle-eyed viewers have been excitedly spotting the many thrillifying cameos that grace the screen in the new film.
Longtime fans of the Broadway show will be pleased to see four major cameos, two of which, we would argue, play a bigger role than a mere cameo appearance. All of these appearances take place during the extended “One Short Day” sequence, which now features an extended bridge not included in the stage musical.
Part Two of the film will likely include even more cameos, though audiences will have to wait until November 21, 2025 to find out exactly who.
Spoiler warning: Details follow for major cameos in Part One of the new Wicked film.
Stephen Schwartz, the composer and lyricist for the musical, appears in the film as an Emerald City palace guard. It is a mustached Schwartz that tells Elphaba and Glinda “The wizard will see you now” during the “One Short Day” sequence. This appearance was confirmed by People Magazine in their dedicated Wicked issue prior to the film’s release. Take a look at a snippet from the magazine article below.
Book writer Winnie Holzman appears in the Emerald City crowd near the end of the “One Short Day” sequence. She says a single line announcing that The Wizard of Oz has fulfilled the prophecy with the ability to read from the famed Grimmerie (though Wicked fans know better). In addition to writing the book for the Wicked musical, she also contributed to the movie’s screenplay along with Dana Fox.
Wicked’s biggest cameos- both in significance and actual screen time- come from the musical’s original leading ladies: Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Of course, the two Broadway stars originated the roles of Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, and appear here as storytellers who relay rich Ozian history to the citizens of Emerald City.
They lend their characteristic vocals to the extended Wiz-O-Mania sequence, which features newly written music and lyrics from Schwartz. Two comedic moments include Menzel showcasing her legendary Elphaba battle cry and Chenoweth clapping her hand over Glinda’s (Ariana Grande’s) mouth as she attempts to sing. Listen to the full number (featuring all four cameos below)
The Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. The first part will be released on November 22, 2024, with Part Two hitting theaters on November 21, 2025.
