Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have shared emotional farewells to their respective Wicked characters – read their messages below.
- READ MORE: ‘Wicked: For Good’ review: an emotional but awkward return to Oz
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the musical fantasy film Wicked: For Good adapts the second half of the acclaimed stage show, and explores the relationship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) as they embrace their new identities as the Wicked Witch Of The West and Glinda the Good.
Along with Erivo and Grande, other returning cast members include Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, and Bowen Yang. Wicked: For Good was released in cinemas worldwide on November 21, 2025.
Following the film’s release, Grande and Erivo took to Instagram to share their last goodbyes to Glinda and Elphaba. Grande wrote in her first post, directed toward Glinda: “thank you, my sweet Glinda, for everything. i will love you always…”
In a second post, she wrote to fans and crew of the Wicked franchise: “Oz has been my safe space for as long as I can remember. The characters within these pages teach us how to love unconditionally with one’s whole heart; to laugh; to forgive (even when it’s most painful); to fiercely protect ourselves and each other (yes, sometimes even from each other); to look forward to be curious and no afraid of acknowledging our own wickedness in order to grow away from it and toward goodness, because we all contain both; to see the beauty in all things; especially the unfamiliar; to be honest, because to be honest is to be kind; and to fight for what is truly, deeply good… and even if it takes us a long, scary walk down the Yellow Brick Road to discoverate what that means for each of us.”
“I fell in love with Wicked when I was ten years old. It has been an escape and a place where I knew I could find comfort and understanding throughout my childhood and adult life. Loving something dearly and becoming it are two very different things. Becoming your Glinda The Good and being asked to join this most wonderful group of human beings on a most creatively and emotionally fulfilling journey was the greatest gift of my life. I have learned more from my time with Glinda than anyone.”
“Now, to see how it has moved and been there for you all in the same way that it has for me over the course of my life has been the most meaningful, moving, and cherished gift of all. You’ll never know what it truly means to be me. I’m so thankful to have been a tiny piece of this bubble puzzle and to be your Glinda. Before I go, please remember: whenever things get scary or you feel alone, home is wherever and with whomever we want it to be, and there’s no place like home. Your chosen Ozian family loves you exactly as you are, and I couldn’t be thankfuller that you exist.”
Cynthia Erivo wrote along with a carousel of pictures: “I could write you an essay, a poem, Shakespearean prose, to describe what this journey has meant to me, what lessons this time has taught me, bought me. I could try to give a metric to the love I have felt and experienced. I could give a number to the stories I have heard. The truth is the numbers are too small and the words are not enough. So I’ll simply say this. Take my hand and walk with me to the end of this road paved with gold and hopefully, the things that I’ve found, might find you too. Thank you for letting me be your Elphaba.”
Wicked: For Good has scored a three-star review from NME, with Nick Levine writing: “The one truly showstopping moment is Elphaba and Glinda’s climactic rendition of ‘For Good’, a big, blustery show tune that sums up their entire relationship. Wicked: For Good doesn’t defy gravity like its predecessor but fans will want to hold space for a sequel with a very poignant payoff.”
