A new behind-the-scenes featurette from the set of Wicked has really caught the attention of fans of the musical.
On Wednesday evening, a new video was shared taking viewers behind the scenes of the Ozdust Ballroom sequence, in which Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s characters finally put their differences aside and dance together in front of their peers.
In the clip, the cast and crew open up about the atmosphere on set that day, and the fact that Cynthia’s tears as Elphaba were actually unscripted.
But it’s a throwaway comment from Ariana that has really got people talking.
Skip to the 1:33 mark in the video below to see what we mean:
“Everyone in the room felt it with her,” the Grammy winner explained. “Everyone was just kind of holding space for Elphaba in that room – and you could hear a pin drop.”
Yes, you read that correctly, Ariana was actually throwing round the phrase “holding space” in connection with Wicked almost a year before a now-infamous viral interview in which a reporter used the same expression.
And fans on X were absolutely here for it:
After her interview with Wicked’s two leads went viral, journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist gave an interview in which she spoke more about what was really going on in the room.
Revealing that the exchange took place the day after the US election, she claimed: “Most of it actually came from a conversation with a friend. I was using that to tee up the question, and I was a little thrown off by [Cynthia’s] response because it was so sincere and real.
“I was a little flustered. I could have said, ‘I have all these friends, and this is our conversation’. But instead I said, ‘I’m in queer media’. It’s a catchphrase now!”
Wicked is in cinemas now.