Disabled Actor Breaks Barriers, Lands Iconic Role in Wicked Franchise

In November 2024, Marissa Bode made history as the first disabled actor to play the prominent role of Nessarose Thropp in the hit film musical Wicked and its forthcoming sequel Wicked: For Good. Bode, who uses a wheelchair, is calling for better representation of disabled performers in the entertainment industry.

A recent study found that only 21% of disabled characters on US TV between 2016 and 2023 were played by disabled actors. Bode hopes her casting will set a precedent, saying: "It's just navigating a world and a system that we have just not been acknowledged in as we should be."

The Wicked films have also made changes to avoid ableist narratives. In the original stage version, Nessarose's ruby slippers enabled her to stand and walk, which has been criticized for promoting the idea that disabled people need to be "fixed." In the upcoming film, the slippers instead give Nessarose the ability to float, which Bode says "adds so much more humanisation to Nessa."

Despite the progress, Bode has faced online abuse following the release of the first Wicked film. She responded by saying that while disliking the character is fine, "aggressive comments and jokes about Nessa's disability itself is deeply uncomfortable because disability is not fictional." Bode is preparing for similar backlash after the release of Wicked: For Good.