There’s no sense hiding it, the truth is right there. Like many other writers today, I went ahead and chose an article title that’s a Wicked pun. But I’m not sorry, for two reasons: 

One, it’s a MUSICAL based on a century-old campy story. There’s going to be some whimsy, we hope, since that’s half the point of the film. 

 

Even though Jon M Chu has made a point of making some very topical references in the movie (more on that later), that’s not what people are coming for, first. There needs to be some fun and frolic, some of the same magic and wonder that got people to the Broadway show for the last two-odd decades in the first place. Silliness! Camp! Hair tossing! Intentional malapropisms like “Dear Mumsy and Popsicle” (FYI: the first half dozen times Galinda utters ‘Oz-isms’ in the movie, like ‘splendiferation’ or etc, Lainey looked at me sideways, like “is she allowed to be talking that way?”)

 

The joyous froth of Wicked is not lost on anyone involved. Not Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, who had a great time as a presenting pair (I love her bangs!); not Jon M. Chu, who told everyone explicitly that this film was supposed to be an icon of joy and optimism; and most certainly not on Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, a duo I think we can very safely call the two hardest-working actresses promoting a film in 2024, and maybe 2025 as well. 

 

Ariana, in particular, was on her game last night. Every cutaway to her landed, and she blinked her eyes and delivered. She giggled with Erivo, obviously, but also played along with Nikki Glaser, cuddled up to Kristen Bell, had moments with Kate Winslet and Miley Cyrus and Sarah Paulson and generally seemed thrilled to be right in the middle of it all. 

No, I didn’t particularly think her dress worked, but it was such a relief to see her away from the insipid barely pink confections she wore for a lot of the press tour that I didn’t mind that much, and besides, they’re going to get more opportunities over the next few weeks… which brings me to my second reason I’m not sorry for the punny title… 

 

No one mourns (the) Wicked because there’s nothing to mourn! No, they didn’t win the other three GGs they were nominated for, but there’s a sentiment that even the “cinematic and box office achievement” Globe is something to be sneered at. I can see that, I guess, if it’s a movie that otherwise has nothing to do with the awards – like, nobody’s trying to give Best Supporting Actress to the voice of Riley from Inside Out 2 – but in this case, that award means everyone went to see your movie. How is that something to be dismayed about? 

 

Do these people look perturbed to you? Because I don’t see it. 

Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Marc E. Platt, Jon M. Chu at the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 05, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California

To me, their eager faces (and those killer bangs on Michelle Yeoh) tell me they’re more than ready for a long and juicy awards show run. Others may encroach. Maybe other movies will even win – but nobody can say, even if they haven’t seen it, that they don’t understand the impact of Wicked. Everyone knows what this film is, and if they choose not to experience that joy, what can we do? Nobody’s too cool, nobody’s pretending they’re not moved by it. It’s for enjoying, getting wrapped up in. It’s for enjoying moments like this, where Ariana Grande’s mom just popped out her camera because why wouldn’t you: 

 

PS - check out this fun little moment that proves my point. Look at this pairing, Kerry Washington in pink and the man who launched a thousand thirst ships in green (much, much more on him later). I’m not saying they were paired because of the outfits. What I’m saying is the combination of pink and green automatically makes you more open to this combo than you thought you were, right? 

 

(Yes I promise we’ll talk more about how all of online just discovered Andrew Garfield last night. Patience!)