Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say working on “Wicked: For Good” changed them — for good.
During a Nov. 12 appearance on TODAY, the duo recalled what it was like to act alongside one another in the second movie edition of the beloved Broadway show.
“To be able to act with this one and to share a space and to be a scene partner with you was the greatest privilege of my professional life. Let alone sing with her, the greatest singer in the entire world. I’m spoiled for life,” Grande said, which made Erivo emotional.
“Thank you. I love you,” she replied.
When asked how they built such a strong friendship on set, Erivo said she believes that she and Grande are “like opposite sides of the same coin.”
Elphaba’s iconic witch hat is just one of the incredible pieces created by “Wicked” costume designer Paul Tazewell. He began his process eight months before filming, using “The Wizard of Oz” as well as the original “Wicked” novel and Broadway musical for inspiration.
“So I think we each have something the other can love and can see themselves … It’s super just honest with each other,” she added.
When Sheinelle asked the duo for a behind-the-scenes moment that still stands out, Grande remembered when Erivo cheered on her vocal performance.
“I’ll never forget when you yelled ‘work’ … she liked something that acted vocally, so when she was singing, she yelled, ‘Work.’ And I was like, this is the best day of my life,” Grande said. “It was really funny. That was a good one.”
Erivo recalled that day as well and said she has a tendency to congratulate others in the moment.
“I don’t know how to contain it. If I hear something that I really like, if she does something that I really like very clearly, I verbally have to express myself,” she said.
“It was the best moment of my life,” Grande added.
“Wicked: For Good” will hit theaters on Nov. 21.
Grande and Erivo attended the Nov. 10 “Wicked” premiere in London wearing matching dark dresses. Grande opted for a black tulle ballgown designed by Gilbert Adrian in 1995 and Erivo donned a stunning deep blue and black Prada dress. On the red carpet, they were photographed holding hands.
Access Hollywood spoke to Cynthia Erivo ahead of her hosting duties at the upcoming Tony Awards on Sunday. She teased what fans can expect with the upcoming film, “Wicked For Good.”
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