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‘Sometimes Painful, Sometimes Joyous’: Cynthia Erivo On Filming THIS Wicked Scene, A Turning Point For The Film
Cynthia Erivo shared details of filming the iconic ballroom dance sequence between her and Ariana Grande’s characters and recalled the set having pin-drop silence during the emotional scene!
The highly anticipated motion picture adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked is inching closer to its release date. Besides the magical aspect, the film primarily revolves around the blooming friendship between two witches, Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).
The former feels like an anomaly because of her green skin, whereas the latter is the most popular girl of Shiz University. The turning point of their friendship started when Glinda invited Elphaba to the college party and asked her to wear her grandmother’s witches’ hat. However, when Elphaba arrives at the party, she becomes a subject of humiliation.
Despite the mocking, Elphaba stands strong against the crowd, which is what wins Glinda over. During her interview with the Today show, Erivo recalled filming that emotional scene. “It was a really big day. Sometimes painful. Sometimes joyous,” she said.
“It took a lot of heart because everything is out there for everyone to see. It’s a very vulnerable space to walk into,” Erivo shared. The characters performed an emotionally charged dance sequence in the ballroom scene during which the cast provided a “wall of protection,” claimed the actress.
Erivo expressed gratitude that she got to experience that and be able to “walk through” the internal wounds she or her character Elphaba may have endured and display them publicly. That sequence was 10 minutes long and filmed in one take. And during each take of that "12-hour day," there was pin-drop silence on the set, said Grande.
“Every (supporting actor) in the room ... every dancer, everyone was holding it with us,” the Thank You Next singer recalled. “And I think all of our hearts are still in that room a little bit.” After the day wrapped, Grande, director John M Chu, and producer Marc Platt surrounded Erivo. "We were just hugging her and saying, ‘I think it’s time for bed,'" the singer added.
“All of (Elphaba's) vulnerabilities kind of needed to be on the outside — it’s what she leads with,” Ervivo said about the scene. She explained how Elphaba holds layers of assurance and self-doubt at the same time.
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