Video: Cynthia Erivo Recalls Filming WICKED Ozdust Ballroom Scene

On the first stop of the Wicked press tour in Sydney Australia, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sat down with Australia's Today Show to talk about the upcoming film. During the interview, Erivo described filming the Ozdust Ballroom sequence, which is a key turning point in the film.

"When we filmed it, it was completely silent," Erivo explained. "We start doing this dance and I just remember having to sort of connect with all of the hurt and any of the insecurities and any of the loneliness that I've felt before to channel through this moment."

In the scene, Elphaba is subjected to ridicule and bullying from Shiz students as she dons the recognizable black hat. "It was a tough day," added Erivo. The sequence has been described as the "heart of the movie" by cinematographer Alice Brooks. As she approached the film, she wanted to make "the most beautiful love story between these two women, these two best friends," she recently told Variety. The sequence in question serves as a significant moment in the relationship between the two characters.

In the interview, the stars also talked about the intense emotions they felt while on set, filming the iconic Defying Gravity number, and the recent screening with other Glinda performers including Kristin Chenoweth. Watch the interview here!

The Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Joining them is Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard. The first part will be released on November 22, 2024, with Part Two hitting theaters on November 21, 2025. Tickets for Wicked, including some advanced screenings, are now on sale. Find out how you can see the film early with an Amazon Prime membership here.