Wicked’s Director Tells Us The Original Idea They Had For Idina Menzel And Kristen Chenoweth’s Cameos, And How Plans Changed Over One ‘Magical’ Night

It’s challenging for Jon M. Chu to bring a film version of Wicked to life without acknowledging the original Broadway stars, Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda), in some way. Many people who have watched the movie can attest that Menzel and Chenoweth appear in the third act, marking their departure from Shiz University and arrival in the Emerald City during the musical number “One Short Day.” However, our conversation with Chu revealed that his initial plans for Menzel and Chenowet evolved significantly as filming progressed.