Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande 'improvised' heartbreaking Ozdust Ballroom moment

13 December 2024, 11:33

By Katie Louise Smith

Wicked's choreographer revealed the "powerful" moment that happened between Cynthia and Ariana while filming the scene.

Wicked is packed full of emotional moments but none more so than that stunning Ozdust Ballroom scene between Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba and Ariana Grande's Glinda.

The Ozdust Ballroom scene, which happens in the mammoth 'Dancing Through Life' sequence, sees Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), Glinda and the rest of the Shiz University students attend a dance party. Elphaba joins them wearing the hat Glinda gave her as a joke, and she's immediately singled out.

As everyone circles around her, pointing, laughing, whispering, Elphaba begins to dance alone. As she continues, Glinda (who begins to feel incredibly guilty) joins her, attempting to match her moves as everyone watches on.

During the dance, Elphaba then begins to cry. That moment was not scripted. Turns out, Cynthia and Ariana actually ad-libbed and improvised quite a large chunk of the scene – including the dance itself.

• Read more: Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say Elphaba and Glinda are queer
• Read more: Wicked's Cynthia Erivo didn't think she would be cast as Elphaba because she's Black

In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by the movie's official YouTube account, choreographer Christopher Scott revealed: "This happened in rehearsal and it was a moment that she thought was never gonna happen again but they reached across and a tear, like, on cue poured out of Cynthia's eye and Ari just gave it a little wipe. It was so powerful."

Cynthia's tears were born out of real emotions that she felt in the moment while portraying Elphaba. On top of that, Ariana's reaction to Cynthia's tears was also not scripted.

So the moment where Glinda wipes Elphaba's tear away and tells her that it's ok? Ad-libbed by Ariana.

Needless to say, that behind-the-scenes detail has made the tear-jerking scene even more devastating.

Ariana also confirmed that, in order to authentically step into Glinda's shoes in that moment, she did not memorise the choreography to Elphaba's dance.

Speaking on the Las Culturistas podcast, she revealed: "Even though we rehearsed it once or twice before that day on set, I never learned it. I didn't want to remember it because I literally, just, wanted to be, like, following her hands and letting her lead the way."

"Because I felt like the more awkward it looks on Glinda, the more beautiful it can be. We're both just, like, little wild deer greeting each other and trying to figure out how to speak the same language. It's so beautifully awkward, and I love it very much," she added.

Cynthia also discussed Ariana's choice to avoid learning the dance on the Sentimental Men podcast. "Whenever we would do the dance together, she would try to forget it," she revealed. "She didn't want to over-rehearse it because she wanted to learn on the spot. So it's like teaching a person this piece, her language, fresh every time."

Read more about Wicked here:

• Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's Wicked audition tapes are going viral
• Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo says fans should sing along with the movie in cinemas
• Wicked fans spot huge Part 2 easter egg in Jonathan Bailey's Fiyero costume
• Every actress who auditioned for Elphaba in the Wicked movie
• Every actress who auditioned for Glinda in the Wicked movie

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