‘It’s Called Entertainment’: Kristin Chenoweth Defends Wicked Amid One Million Moms’ Boycott

Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, based on the popular Broadway stage musical that premiered in 2003, which was also loosely inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel of the same name. The musical has been enchanting moviegoers since it came out, but it has now attracted some attention from One Million Moms.

The right-wing group slammed the film for “pushing the LGBTQ agenda on families, particularly children,” Out Magazine reported. The group signed a petition to boycott the film, and Broadway legend Kristin Chenoweth, who played Galinda in the original stage adaptation, was not having it. She pushed back against the criticism in Out’s Instagram section about their intent to “spew hate.”

“Of course, the musical contains a tremendous amount of witchcraft and sorcery, and that content prompts most parents to avoid taking their children to see Wicked,” the petition claims. “But the film also shows not-so-discrete crossdressing and men crushing on men, which parents may not expect.” The petition further claims Wicked is “a dark movie that also pushes wokeness.“

“Everyone knows the ‘one million Moms’ are a mere few hundred. Maybe,” the actress pointed out. Only a few over 13,000 people signed the petition at the time of writing, so Chenoweth was closer to the truth than the group’s name.

She added, “It’s called entertainment. Artistry. I am a Christian woman [who] originated the role of Glinda and all the silliness that these women spew out of hate. No no no. I can’t help it : i try to love em anyways. For they don’t get it.”

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She further praised the current adaptation, which stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba: “For anyone who wants to see girl power, then go so WICKED. Onstage or in a movie theater.”

There was an ongoing conversation about the chemistry between Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba, and Grande even weighed in that Glinda might be “a little in the closet.” Chenoweth agreed with Grande, noting, “I thought so too way back when….” At the same time, the source material the musical is based on has a deeper relationship between the two characters, and they even share a kiss in the novel.

Wicked’s Success Happened Despite the Ongoing Controversies

Wicked is a beloved IP, but it ended up being successful even for non-fans or people who didn’t get a chance to see the stage musical. The Jon M. Chu-helmed movie is the eighth highest-grossing film of 2024, currently boasting $477.4 million worldwide against a budget of $145 million (per The Numbers). Its reception was also widely positive, as the musical is Certified Fresh at 88% from the critics and Verified Hot with a 95% approval rating from the audience on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s also gaining Oscar buzz and received 11 nominations at the Critics’ Choice Awards and four Golden Globes nominations, among other nods.

However, its well-deserved success worked against its many controversies. The two actresses, Grande and Erivo, received criticism for being too sentimental and vulnerable when promoting the film, which has been a lifelong dream for both stars. At the same time, Marisa Bode, who plays Nessarose Throppe, also called out the criticism of her character who, like Bode, is wheelchair-bound.

The movie’s marketing also took a hit when Mattel released Wicked-inspired dolls with the wrong website on the back. Instead of the film’s official website, the link at the back led to an NSFW website that led to a class action lawsuit.

Wicked is currently playing in theaters.

Source: Out Magazine

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Wicked

Release Date

November 22, 2024

Cast

Cynthia Erivo
, Ariana Grande
, Michelle Yeoh
, Jeff Goldblum
, Jonathan Bailey
, Ethan Slater
, Marissa Bode
, Bowen Yang
, Bronwyn James
, Keala Settle
, Peter Dinklage
, Aaron Teoh
, Grecia De la Paz
, Colin Michael Carmichael
, Adam James
, Andy Nyman
, Courtney Mae-Briggs
, Sharon D. Clarke
, Jenna Boyd

Main Genre

Musical

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