Wicked' Door Scene Almost Cut, Grande Reveals

A deeply emotional door scene in 'Wicked,' where Elphaba and Glinda share a tearful farewell, was almost excluded from the final cut. Ariana Grande disclosed during a podcast interview that there were discussions about removing the powerful image. Director Jon M. Chu, however, championed the scene, recognizing its profound impact on the narrative.

Chu's dedication extended to other emotionally resonant moments. He revealed that the line "I love you," spoken by Glinda to Elphaba, was also nearly cut. This was due to an unwritten rule within the Oz franchise that characters should not express such sentiments, but Chu felt the human element was crucial.

The scene in question, which was not in the original script, emerged from rehearsals. Chu observed Grande and Cynthia Erivo improvising an intimate goodbye, moving him to tears. He emphasized that moments like these bridged the fantasy world of Oz with relatable human emotions, making them essential to the film's success.