Wicked has always been a story about perspective — who gets remembered, who gets misunderstood, and how friendship can reshape the meaning of “good” and “wicked” forever. In this final episode of Wicked: The Official Podcast, we arrive at the end of our journey through Oz, reflecting on how this story has evolved across generations and why it still holds us.

Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt look back on the responsibility of honoring L. Frank Baum’s original world, Gregory Maguire’s reimagining, and the Broadway phenomenon that followed, all while making room for something new. 

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reflect on saying goodbye to Elphaba and Glinda, and on the friendship at the heart of the story that transformed both characters and performers alike. Joined by cast and creatives across Oz, they share memories of the moments, choices, and collaborations that changed them… for good.

As our time in Oz comes to a close, the story reminds us how perspective can change everything.

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The characters of Wicked are defined not only by what they do, but by how they appear — and in Wicked: For Good, every nuance of style, color, silhouette, and texture becomes a clue to who they are and where they’re going.

Hair and makeup designer Frances Hannon, costume designer Paul Tazewell, and director Jon M. Chu take us inside the artistry behind Elphaba’s evolving green and Glinda’s luminous blonde — from the microbraids, nails, and freckles tracing Elphaba’s journey to the shimmering gowns, bubble dresses, and wedding silhouette shaping Glinda’s. They also share the story behind Elphaba’s iconic knit cardigan in As Long As You’re Mine, as well as the transformations that define Boq’s Tin Man, Fiyero’s Scarecrow, Nessa’s journey, and the signature looks of the Wizard and Madame Morrible.

Cast members Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, and Marissa Bode share how these looks shaped their performances — grounding power, vulnerability, and reinvention in every frame.

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Wicked cast a vivid spell with its production design — and Wicked: For Good deepens that magic by expanding Oz into an even grander, more immersive world.

Production designer Nathan Crowley, cinematographer Alice Brooks, editor Myron Kerstein, and director Jon M. Chu take us inside the craft that shaped everything from the Emerald City’s skyline to the Yellow Brick Road, revealing how towering practical sets, intricate illusions, and cutting-edge VFX bring this new chapter of Oz to life.

Cast members Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Bronwyn James share what it felt like to inhabit these environments — performing alongside VFX animals, riding the Wizard’s hand-built rollercoaster, and stepping into spaces that were at times fully constructed and at other times entirely imagined — a testament to the collaborative magic behind every corner of this world.

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In Wicked: For Good, two new songs open a window into what Elphaba and Glinda have never spoken aloud. 

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, executive music producer Stephen Oremus, and director Jon M. Chu reveal how “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” were crafted to deepen each witch’s inner world — from Elphaba’s reckoning with belonging to Glinda’s emotional awakening. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande share how performing the new material live shaped their portrayal of separation, reunion, confrontation, and the choices that ultimately lead them to “For Good.” 

And with insight from Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and cinematographer Alice Brooks, we explore the intense and cinematic turning points that bring the story to its final, unforgettable moments.

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The music of Wicked has always carried the heart of the story—first on Broadway, and now across two epic films. 

In this episode, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, music supervisor and arranger Stephen Oremus, and film composer John Powell take us inside the melodies, themes, and collaborative process that shaped Wicked: For Good—from reimagining classic songs to building a new musical vocabulary for Jon M. Chu’s cinematic vision. 

Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt reflect on how music guided some of the film’s boldest choices, while Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, and Jeff Goldblum share how performing these numbers—often live—transformed their characters and the world of Oz itself.

Spoiler alert: this episode explores musical changes between the Broadway show and the film adaptation—including reimagined numbers and the emotional architecture behind them. But we’re saving the two new songs and the titular number for next week!

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In a story about unlikely friendships, the cast and crew of Wicked found their own—forming the heart and soul of Oz itself.

Casting directors Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield reveal what it takes to find the perfect Ozian personalities, while actors Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, and Bronwyn James share stories of auditions, collaboration, and building their characters from the inside out.

From accessibility and inclusion to unforgettable on-set memories, every moment reflects the magical spirit that defines Wicked. And finally, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reflect on the joy of performing Wicked: One Wonderful Night—the live concert at the Dolby Theatre that reunited the cast and celebrated the music of Oz, now streaming on Peacock.

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To bring Oz to life, the Wicked team had to defy gravity in more ways than one—filming two epic movies simultaneously. Director Jon M. Chu led an extraordinary team of artists and dreamers, transforming one timeless story into a two-part cinematic event. Writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox reveal how the world of Wicked expanded beyond the stage, while producer Marc Platt reflects on the precision and heart it took to make the impossible possible. Oscar winners Nathan Crowley, Frances Hannon, and Paul Tazewell share how every color, costume, and brushstroke helped redefine Oz for a new generation. And from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Bronwyn James, the cast recounts what it meant to live—and act—between two eras at once.

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The story of Wicked begins here. Producer Marc Platt, composer Stephen Schwartz, and writer Winnie Holzman trace how Gregory Maguire’s novel became a Broadway sensation – before director Jon M. Chu took on the monumental task of bringing Oz to the big screen. In this episode, Jon’s cast and collaborators, from production designer Nathan Crowley and costume designer Paul Tazewell to casting directors Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield, share why his vision, heart, and imagination made him the perfect person to lead this journey.

Finally, we hear from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande on how they found their way – by broomstick and bubble – into the roles of a lifetime.

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Presented by Universal Pictures and Vanity Fair, and hosted by Chris Murphy, the official Wicked podcast is your all-access pass to the land of Oz. Featuring intimate conversations with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, director Jon M. Chu, and the creative team behind Wicked, this eight-part series reveals how the iconic sets, songs, and visuals came to life across two epic films.

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