Video: Gregory Maguire Reveals How WICKED's Elphaba Actresses Shape 'Elphie'

Elphie, a new prequel novel exploring the childhood of Wicked's Elphaba Thropp, is now on shelves. In an interview with the Today Show, filmed at New York's Drama Book Shop, author Gregory Maguire talked about the long line of Elphaba performers and their influence on how he depicts the famed character.

"As she's played by Idina Menzel or by Cynthia Erivo, she reveals a tender side to her character that I liked knowing about and that I like incorporating the sense of, even in 'Elphie,'" Maguire shared. He has dedicated the new book to both performers, along with "all the Elphabas, past and to come."

"They have often acknowledged me and what my work has given to them, and I just wanted to return the favor," says the author. The new book gives readers an understanding of how the character becomes the one we know in the original novel, which, Maguire says, is based on himself. "Elphaba is me. She's braver than I am, and she can sing a lot better, but she is basically me." Watch the full interview with the author, and check out BroadwayWorld's exclusive interview with Maguire about the novel here.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West was first published in 1995 and was made into a global phenomenon of a musical in 2003. Maguire followed up the novel with several sequels, including Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. Last December, during the film's theatrical run, the novel reached #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for the week of December 15, a prestigious honor for a book title. 

Part 1 of the Wicked movie received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. The film won 2 awards at the ceremony: Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.

The movie stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. The first part was released on November 22, 2024, with Wicked: For Good hitting theaters on November 21, 2025. Wicked: Part One is now available to watch at home and is streaming on Peacock.