Wicked's Cynthia Erivo explains why she went entire days without bathroom breaks while filming
2 December 2024, 15:50
Cynthia Erivo has revealed some days on set for Wicked she didn't even use the bathroom!
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Wicked: Part 1 has taken the world by storm. Director Jon M. Chu has been praised for expertly bringing the stage show to the big screen but it's clear that the electrifying performances of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda have been key to the magic of this movie.
The film, which came to screens in 2024, has been in production for years. From way before the press tour even began, the effort Cynthia and Ariana put into perfecting their roles was clear - from Ariana working with a vocal coach to master Glinda's operatic style of singing to Cynthia skipping toilet breaks...
Yep, you read that right. The Tony Award winning actress has admitted to going entire days without a bathroom break while on set for Wicked, but why?
Speaking on the Sentimental Men podcast, Cynthia revealed she went 12-14 hours without a bathroom break on long production days and it was all because of Elphaba's stunts.
"There were two or three different harnesses for different stunts," she started to explain. "Those days were really interesting because once you’re in the harness, you don’t want to come out of the harness because it takes forever to get everything prepped again — the wires and whatnot.
"Those days can be really big. They can be really exhausting because your body is being put through the strangest things."
To avoid getting in and out of the harnesses, Cynthia would refuse any toilet breaks. "I don’t go to the bathroom. Once I’m in my costume - and this is probably a terrible idea - and the harness is on, I’m not doing it.
"I’m not dealing with it. There’s too many layers,” she admitted, adding: “It is what it is.”
Crew even tried to get her to take a toilet break, but she recalled telling them “No, I don’t need the bathroom. Let’s go. Let’s go. We’re in it."
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sang live on Wicked
What's more is director Jon M. Chu has said Ariana and Cynthia sang live during the filming of Wicked, meaning they had to turn the set into a recording studio.
That's right, Cynthia belted out every lyric of 'Defying Gravity' while in a stunt harness. "I have an amazing vocal coach who helped me figure out where to put the breath and how to hold everything so I could actually make the sound without sounding like I was moving, and flying and being in a harness and wearing a corset," she explained.
She described the experience as "powerful" saying it made her feel "really good".
Read more about Wicked here:
- Wicked Part 2: Release date, cast, plot spoilers, songs and news about the sequel
- Wicked's Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum reveal Part 2 will include new original songs
- Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo says fans should sing along with the movie in cinemas
- Wicked director explains why he almost didn't cast Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
- Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say Elphaba and Glinda are queer
