As a gamer with over a decade of experience under my belt, I must say that the upcoming release of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” next month has me absolutely buzzing! The fact that the costume designer for “Wicked”, Paul Tazewell, has shared an interesting detail about Cynthia Erivo’s Wicked Witch costume really piqued my interest.
As a die-hard gamer counting down the days to 2024, I can’t help but get excited about the upcoming movie lineup. With just under two months to go, it’s clear that the release of Wicked will be drawing in massive crowds – especially when it hits theaters alongside Gladiator II on the same day!
Paul Tazewell took on the role of the movie’s costume designer, having previously dressed Erivo in 2019’s “Harriet” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” as well as numerous Broadway musicals. When discussing the creation of Elphaba’s iconic outfit as she transforms into the Wicked Witch, Tazewell revealed that mushrooms were the primary source of inspiration for the black costume, in his own words:
Her portrayal seemed fitting and aligned with my intentions, as she is a staunch animal rights activist. Interestingly, due to her marginalization, she tends to find peace and comfort more within nature rather than among the people around her.
During a documentary on mushrooms, Tazewell found himself captivated with the idea of adding his unique touch to a project. He shared this realization with Variety, mentioning that he was moved by the “charm” of various types of mushrooms, particularly their diverse textures and colors. (Did you know there’s more to them than meets the eye?)
Indeed, Tazewell’s choice to draw inspiration from fungi for Elphaba’s design seems somewhat unexpected, but upon further reflection, it appears quite fitting for her character. Given that Elphaba is deeply connected with nature in the film and possesses qualities akin to mushrooms, this choice aligns well with her character arc. The costume designer elaborated that Elphaba is also a girl who faces oppression and rejection, even from her own family, due to the color of her skin. As he further explained:
When observing mushrooms with their distinctive pleats, the challenge was to translate that appearance into fabric and texture… By working with it, we came up with a design that mimics the bottom side of a mushroom.
Taking Paul Tazewell’s suggestions into consideration, you can appreciate how he incorporated mushroom-like textures into Elphaba’s Wicked Witch costume, as clearly depicted in the poster below.
Apart from stating that he employed felted fabric, gauze, and chiffon to design Elphaba’s costume in the film, Paul Tazewell shared his insights. Tazewell, an Academy Award nominee known for his work on West Side Story, has been recognized for his talent. In fact, TopMob had a conversation with him about the symbolism behind Rachel Zegler’s dress when he was in contention for that award. Given the careful consideration Tazewell has given to the costumes for Wicked, it wouldn’t be surprising if the film received a nod for Best Costume Design. Universal seems to have a strategy in place for their actors’ Oscar campaigns, so discussing the potential recognition for this aspect of Wicked may not be premature after all.
I’m really looking forward to learning more about Elphaba’s famous costume in the Wicked movie, as it makes me even more eager for what other fascinating details the cast will bring to the screen. The second part is scheduled for release next fall. Wicked will be hitting theaters on November 22.
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2024-10-25 04:37