Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sat down with The Hollywood Reporter's Tiffany Taylor to talk all things 'Wicked,' including how the practical sets helped them bring their characters to life, the messages they hope audiences take away from the film and more. Plus, Erivo reflected on her viral moment from THR's songwriters' roundtable, where she encouraged fellow songwriter Julia Michaels to "own" her power. Finally, Grande and Erivo shared that they would love to return to the Broadway stage, ideally together! 'Wicked' flies into theaters Nov. 22.
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00:00You go to queer black women walking into the room and there's always you always met with a little bit of resistance anyway
00:05And I think that when you're met with resistance you you kind of have to find your way around it
00:10And the only way around it is to be comfortable in yourself
00:16After seeing this film it feels like it's coming out at the perfect time because it has so many powerful messages about empathy
00:22Standing up for what's right and also empowering and embracing those who are othered by society
00:29What message resonated with you the most and what message do you hope audiences take away when they go see it?
00:34I mean to me one of the most important themes I think is empathy
00:40having the ability to
00:41Change I hope that people will see it and be forced to look outside themselves and maybe look at how
00:48They can have their I say this all the time, but have their bubble popped
00:53By the people in their lives and how they can become better
00:55I think you can always become more and more
00:59Good Cynthia when you were on our THR songwriters roundtable
01:03You had a really special moment with Julia Michaels where you encouraged her to own her power
01:10Really important for you
01:11To be able to sit in the power of being able to make other people's dreams come true and that idea of owning your power
01:18I feel like is really applicable to this movie right for each of you in your own lives and careers
01:23When do you feel like you started owning your power and how did you get to that place?
01:27I think I've kind of had to do it
01:29Sort of early on because I don't think
01:33Sort of like the choice isn't I haven't really had the choice to do either because I think whatever room I step into it
01:39I'm I I come in looking like this, which is thank God. Well, I mean not like this, but you know what?
01:45I mean in this game, you know
01:47You've got a queer black woman walking into the room and there's always you always met with a little bit of resistance
01:52Anyway, and I think that when you're met with resistance you you kind of have to find your way around it
01:57And the only way around it is to be comfortable in yourself so that you don't end up swaying from it
02:03Right that doesn't necessarily open all the doors
02:07but it does still you a little bit, you know, and
02:11At some point the doors will open and the right ones
02:16And it's not easy to do. No, it's really not easy to do. No
02:20But we're forced to yeah, I'm thinking I'm glad you did it me too. Hi, Miss Elphaba
02:30Look at you
02:35You're beautiful
02:37This movie is just magical and awe-inspiring from start to finish and I feel like a lot of that has to do
02:44with all of the real sets and
02:47Having those versus CGI, how did those real practical sets aid you in bringing these characters to life? Well, I think
02:54The wonderful thing about having someone that's practical is that you get to awaken all the senses
02:59So there's a you know, you're seeing things you're hearing things, but you can touch
03:05So we don't have to imagine anything there because we can see it and feel it and it's right there with us
03:09And it becomes a character in the movie itself
03:13It meant that we could really see how big the world was
03:17so we could let that come through these characters and we could
03:22imagine flying and we can see the boats coming in and water and I think that was sort of the wonderful thing and also it
03:29Allows for us to in those intimate spaces be in intimate spaces. Our dorm room is really us the space that we hold together
03:36I think that's what
03:38Adds to the magic of the world, you know, yeah
03:43Ariana I saw you on Broadway in 13
03:472008
03:49What would that young Ariana making her Broadway debut feel about playing this role and being in this movie
03:56oh my goodness, I mean I
03:58I've said this but I feel like this whole experience has been such a homecoming for me because again, I started in theater
04:05we've started it on stage and
04:07you know to have
04:09Gone so many different routes along the way and to kind of find my way back here
04:14I think has been really healing for my soul
04:17and I'm just very very grateful to be here with this material that I love so much and with this
04:22human being that I love so much to my left and
04:27It's just been extraordinary and I think she would be
04:31Having an out-of-body. I'm 31 and I'm having an out-of-body experience. So the whole thing is just too much
04:38For me now for me then for us now for us then it's yeah deeply I'd be deeply grateful
04:45Watching the movie. It seems like being in this musical theater world comes so naturally for you
04:50For both of you after being in this movie would either of you want to return to Broadway the Broadway stage?
04:55And if so, what would be a dream role for you to take on next? I think I'm ready to try something new
05:00I think I'm ready to try something that hasn't been written yet something original. I've done a lot of
05:07Material that exists
05:09Revivals and I think now is probably the time where we can find something that I can originate
05:16Yeah, that's thrilling. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I'll do anything. I'm around
05:21And I'll send a tape. I'm kidding. I know I'm kidding. I would love to be on stage again
05:27I thought fiance with this one again. I would love to be
05:30Do I need it again?
05:34I would fall out. Yeah, but
05:38I
05:39Would die you want to try? Yeah, I want to try I
05:43Want to try do you want to try we should we'll try come with me what to beat the wizard?
05:49I couldn't possibly this is your moment. I'm coming
05:51You
05:55Wicked flies into theaters, November 22nd for the Hollywood Reporter News. I'm Tiffany Taylor