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The 34th season of Dancing With the Stars paid tribute to the beloved musical Wicked, delivering a series of stunning performances and offering a fresh sneak peek of the upcoming film For Good.
During the broadcast on Tuesday, October 21, the show’s audience was treated to an exclusive preview shared by director Jon M. Chu. The clip showcased The Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum, sharing his journey to fame in Oz. In a captivating scene, he performs “Wonderful” alongside Ariana Grande’s Glinda, offering a promise to Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba that she too can become “wonderful.”
The first installment of Wicked‘s two-part cinematic adaptation, released in November 2024, explored the initial act of the renowned Broadway production. It delved into the origins of Glinda and Elphaba, setting the stage prior to the events in The Wizard of Oz.
As the first film concluded, viewers saw Glinda and Elphaba part ways, with Elphaba making a hasty departure from Shiz University. The second film will resume the narrative a few years later, highlighting Elphaba’s evolution into the Wicked Witch of the West and her ongoing mission to champion the cause of Oz’s animals, even as Glinda assumes a prominent role as the Wizard’s spokesperson.
Following an evening filled with heartfelt tributes, Dancing With the Stars continues its celebration of Wicked with a themed night. Anticipation is building for the performances, and ABC has teased viewers with details about how the show will honor Wicked: For Good in the upcoming episode, featuring insights from director Jon M. Chu.
“What’s wonderful about the show is that you get an insight into why this woman becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, but you have only three hours to do it in,” Erivo, 38, told Entertainment Weekly in February about why Wicked was split into separate parts. “With us, you have two movies.”
She noted that Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship has also been “expanded” thanks to the extra time, adding, “That’s a really important, special thing that you have in the show, but here you really get to go with them in that. We’ve got something really special.”
For Good will also reveal how Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion came together. Ethan Slater, who portrayed Boq in the first movie, gave a sneak peek of his character’s transformation into Tin Man earlier this month, while For Good’s trailer has shared brief glimpses at Fieryo’s (Jonathan Bailey) Scarecrow look. The actress portraying Dorothy remains under wraps, but it was revealed earlier this week that Colman Domingo will be voicing the Cowardly Lion.
niversal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection Ahead of Domingo’s reveal, Chu teased he had cast a major A-lister in the role after sliding into their DMs. “I was like, ‘It’s not a ton of lines, but maybe you have a little time. I know you’re busy. I’ll come to you,’” the filmmaker recalled to Deadline in an October 16 interview. “He was like, ‘Why the f*** not, let’s go!’ And then we went ahead and recorded the lines.”
Songs from both Wicked and Wicked: For Good were featured on Tuesday’s episode of Dancing With the Stars, from Robert Irwin and Witney Caron’s jazz performance of “Dancing Through Life” to Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas’ quickstep to “Popular.”
The contestants of Dancing With the Stars season 34 are dancing through life — and the ballroom — on the show’s Wicked-themed night. Director Jon M. Chu took a seat at the judges table alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli as the Tuesday, October 21, episode kicked off with a message from […]
Grande and Erivo also made video cameos throughout the night alongside Bailey and Michelle Yeoh, who portrays Madame Morrible in the films. Chu also served as guest judge for the week.
“Wicked is a beloved tale of two best friends who change each other’s lives for good,” Erivo said, while Grande added, “So rejoicify! Let’s kick off this special Wicked celebration with a speculator opening number created by our wonderful choreographer Chris Scott.”
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Chu also shared his excitement over being in the ballroom at the start of the evening.
“It’s my favorite movie and my favorite TV show combined, this is going to be incredible,” Chu said at the top of the episode. “But anything you know about dance, the power of it, it’s not the technical ultimately. When you get over that, you guys have been rehearsing great, now it’s about telling the story. Fill us with all the feelings today.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21.
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