‘Wicked’ director compares set to kindergarten —reveals way the cast rehearsed: ‘Pressure’s on’
Okay, Wicked for Good is on the way. You are so passionate about this film. What can audiences expect? Well, we shot this at the same time as movie one. So, we spent a lifetime with Alphaba and Galinda. You’ve only seen their university years. Wait until they look back on their years and their fairy tale that they’ve, you know, had shatters in front of them. That’s when they become like warriors. And so, I’m excited for people to get the full story of Wicked now. I’m so excited. Wicked part one became such a pop culture phenomenon. Did you anticipate this reaction? I did not anticipate we’d be at Dancing with the Stars having a wicked night. That’s insane. I mean, we know people love Wicked, but to see them fall in love with Alphaba and Glinda in this form with Ariana and Cynthia to understand the power that they have, that’s been the best. And to see my little girls and my little sons as well fall in love with the world of Oz when, you know, Wizard of Oz is so old and um and Wicked has been around for 20 years. That has been the best part of my whole life. They they they love what I do for a living now. It’s great. I know. Dad is cool. Dad is Dad is cool now. For now and then the next movie cool again. But I love the bond between Cynthia and Ariana. We got a glimpse of what their sisterhood is really like during the press they were doing. Can you share a core memory of filming with them that has really stuck with you? I loved our rehearsals because that was um you know the pressures on everyone’s expecting a lot from Glenda and Alphaba. They’re so confident in what they do but we were all scared because we’re taking on such beloved properties. Um, but we would sit on the on the floor of my office to um to rehearse. We wouldn’t be standing up. They love the floor. They had to feel the ground. And so we’d be there and um we talk about every line, everything. We’d try different versions. And working it out like that was really beautiful for us to find our way in to this Oz. That’s incredible. What did cast bonding look like on this film with everyone behind the scenes? What were we doing? Dinners, sleepovers? Uh, well, one, it was like a kindergarten set on set all the time. Everyone was playing. I mean, Johnny and Ari together is insane. Then you throw Bowen in there and Cynthia and it’s I sometimes felt like I had to be a teacher, but that’s the thing that’s the spirit of the movie had to be like that. And so we had to always play and they had to trust that I would protect them um in the edits. Um and I think that comes out of it. So that was really fun. And the world is your oyster. John, what is a project you would love to spearhead next? What do we have our eye on? You know, I’m not ready to go there yet. I don’t want Oz to end. So um I’m not ready. We just edit. We just finished editing just like 3 weeks ago. So, I’m processing. This is part of my process. What do you do when you process? Edits are done. Is there a celebration you do? Is it getting together with the wife? How do you celebrate that? I spend time with my kids. I have five kids. Um, eight six, four, two, and 10 months old. I get to talk about the movie. Um, it it feels like I get to sort of exercise and and release memories and things like that. Um, and we get to spend a lot of time with the girls, you know, when we do press and stuff and and we get to sort of let it all go slowly but surely, say goodbye. I’m so excited for this movie. I cannot wait. Thank you so much, John. You were fabulous tonight.
The “Wicked: For Good” set easily defied gravity.
Just ask Jon M. Chu, who directed the two-part film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked.”
“It was like a kindergarten set all the time,” the director, 45, exclusively told The Post following Wicked Night on “Dancing With the Stars” on Oct. 21.
Read more at https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/entertainment/wicked-director-compares-set-to-kindergarten-reveals-odd-way-cast-rehearsed/
#wicked #jonmchu
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1 Comment
thanks John M Chu what about Jonathan and Cnythia as she told Hollywood Repoter on his cover story — Cynthia Erivo didn’t meet Bailey until rehearsals for Wicked, in which they play onscreen love interests. “I keep making the mistake and saying that he went to [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art],” says Erivo. “In my head, I feel I’ve known him for such a long time that in my head we went to the same school. One day, he was like ‘Cyn, you keep telling people that we went to RADA together, but I didn’t go to RADA.’ ”