Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande taught costar Marissa Bode a few important things while they filmed Wicked and the upcoming Wicked: For Good.
“I think I learned a lot, to be honest, just from watching them because they’re so talented and just so good at what they do,” Bode, 24, who stars as Nessarose in the film adaptations, exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month in New York City. “Cynthia is someone who I see similar to me, needs a lot of recharging in between and in between takes.”
Bode gushed that not only was Erivo, who plays Elphaba, lovely and extremely talented but also a thoughtful costar who once gifted Bode with throat gummies called Grether’s Pastilles for soothing.
While filming Wicked, Grande (Glinda) also gave Bode sound advice. “Ari is someone who has said to me, ‘Just preserve your peace when you can,’ which is something I already kind of knew, but it’s nice also hearing that from someone else,” she said.
Wicked premiered in November 2024 to commercial and critical success. The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is adapted from the smash Broadway hit and based on Gregory Maguire’s prequel novel about The Wizard of Oz. The movie follows the backstory of two witches, Elphaba and Galinda (later Glinda), and the evolution of their relationship through the complicated world of Oz.
Bode — along with stage actress Jenna Bainbridge, who currently stars as Nessarose in Wicked on Broadway — chatted with Us about the role of Nessa before the 17th annual ReelAbilities Film Festival on April 3. Bode received the 2025 Spotlight Award at the event.
Bode is the first wheelchair user to ever play Nessa while Bainbridge is the first wheelchair user to portray the character on Broadway. Nessa, the beloved sister of Elphaba, is a wheelchair user in the story Wicked.
Bainbridge felt excited to play Nessa and represent the character authentically. “I think that there’s been so much conversation in the past for all kinds of disabled roles that there’s all kinds of excuses as to why they haven’t cast disabled people,” she said. “So I think that this helps to show our presence in these roles, both on film and on stage.”
Bode also recognized the important significance her casting provided for visibility within the disabled community. “I’m so happy that it sets a precedent in the future, not just for Wicked, but for other casting hopefully,” she said. “You can and should cast disabled people in roles. Not just even disabled characters, but in general.”
The cast and crew of Wicked had a magical night at the 97th annual Academy Awards. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were among the many Wicked stars who celebrated the film’s 10 Oscar nominations at the Sunday, March 2, awards ceremony, which was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Wicked tied with The […]
Regarding advice Bainbridge would give to fellow disabled actors who want to pursue a career in the industry. “Just because we maybe haven’t seen ourselves represented doesn’t mean that we weren’t part of those stories, we aren’t part of the history, part of those films,” she emphasized. “Maybe you need to become the representation that your younger self needed, and making sure that you’re always striving for that is never a bad thing.”
Fans haven’t seen the last of Bode’s Nessarose yet. She’ll reprise the role in this fall’s Wicked: For Good, and Bode told Us what fans can expect to see in the second act of the sweeping franchise. “It gets a lot darker, for sure. Everybody has a pretty big arc,” she said. “Bonds are there, whether they are for good or not.”
Although the second part of Wicked can currently be seen on Broadway with Bainbridge, there are sure to be a few additions and surprises on the big screen. Bode was careful to not reveal too much about the second installment, only teasing, “Y’all are just going to have to wait and see.”
Wicked: For Good will be released November 21, 2025.
