Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Break Down on ‘Wicked’ Set After ‘Most Difficult’ Day of Filming

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo spent over a year filming Wicked, the new film adaptation of the 20-year-old stage play. Embodying the spirits of Glinda and Elphaba became one of the most challenging tasks for the actors. But there was one day in particular when they broke down on set after a “most difficult” day of filming.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo had difficulty with a pivotal scene between Glinda and Elphaba

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sat down with Vanity Fair to speak about their experience embodying the characters of Glinda and Elphaba in the film adaptation of Wicked. One scene in particular became one of the “most difficult” days of filming for the women.

In the stage production, Glinda and Elphaba are enemies. Their disdain turns to true friendship as the story evolves.

The character of Glinda gifted Elphaba a tall, unattractive, black hat to wear to Ozdust. The combination of the black hat and outfit, enhanced Elphaba’s insecurities about herself, leaving Erivo to deeply feel the pain of her character.

“It’s just not a fun thing—if you are doing it as truthfully as possible—to have to do it over and over again,” Erivo says. “By the time we had gotten to the last time, I had a big old breakdown.”

There were ‘tough moments’ for the co-stars to navigate while filming ‘Wicked’

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo became very close while rehearsing and filming the adaptation of the beloved stage musical. However, their bond was tested on days when one or the other needed some “space.”

Erivo told Vanity Fair, “There are days when she’s gonna need space, and there are days when I’m gonna need space. But because we love each other very dearly, it’s okay.”

“I think we’ve done a really beautiful job of, oh my God, sorry,” Grande added. “We both really took the time to get to know the other person and where we’ve been. What our little wounds are. What our little things are.”

Who else is in the ‘Wicked’ movie cast?

Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood because of her unusual green skin who hasn’t discovered her true power. Alongside her stands Ariana Grande’s Glinda, a popular young woman gilded by privilege and ambition, who finds her heart through her unlikely friendship with Elphaba.

The film also stars Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.

Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part series of films. It makes its theatrical debut beginning Nov. 22, 2024. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Nov. 26, 2025.