More than 20 years after originating the onstage role of Glinda in Wicked, Kristin Chenoweth is praising her big-screen successors.
After noting she “cannot confirm or deny” a cameo in the long-awaited feature adaptation, which premieres Nov. 22 in theaters, the Tony winner shared a rave review for director Jon M. Chu‘s feature adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Speaking for herself and OG co-star Idina Menzel, Chenowth told Us Weekly they’re “both really happy for the girls [Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo]. We can’t wait to see them take on these characters.”
Following a screening with the film’s cast, Chenoweth gave the movie musical her seal of approval in a video from her ride home. “Y’ALL WON’T EVEN BELIEVE HOW GOOD IT IS,” she captioned the clip. “I’ll never be the same!!!”
Chenoweth raved in the video, “Oh my gosh I just saw the movie and I’m dying. I’m deceased, I’m actually dead, I’m not here. People are not going to be well when they see this film. It is so good, it is so special.
“The story is so wonderful, and Cynthia and Ariana are amazing. The whole cast is amazing. Jon Chu nailed it. I was so moved, emotional, happy, filled with joy. Please everybody go see Wicked, you’ll be blessed,” she added.
Chenoweth and Menzel played Glinda, the Good Witch, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the 2003 Broadway musical — which was based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel and L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz books — earning Menzel the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, for which her co-star was also nominated.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked.
Universal Pictures/Everett Collection
The film follows Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) as they first meet at Shiz University and share a life-changing encounter with the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum).
Chu was tapped to direct the Universal adaptation back in 2021. The first Wicked installment premieres Nov. 22, 2024, with the second following on Nov. 21, 2025.