The production of the Wicked film franchise spared no expense when it came to making sure the cast looked their absolute best in the cinema. Each detail was carefully thought out, especially when it came to their glam and costumes. Let's take a sneak peek behind the scenes of this "wickedly good" movie!
A 200‑Hour Sparkling Masterpiece
Glinda the Good's pink bubble dress is probably one of the most iconic looks in the film. When fans think of her, they immediately see her in this gorgeous gown. The actual dress that Ariana Grande wore on set was equally spectacular, with its intricate beadwork that required over 200 hours to make. It's also inspired by the original The Wizard of Oz where Billie Burke starred as Glinda.
Custom Looks for Each Leading Witch
Both Glinda and Elphaba are central characters to Wicked, so it's no surprise that they'd have such an extensive wardrobe! The costume team prepared at least 25 looks for Glinda, while Elphaba is not far behind with 24 looks. The duo wore these outfits throughout the course of the two films to ensure continuity.
The Truth Behind the Not‑So‑Ruby Slippers
It might come as a shock to non-fans that the ruby red slippers, both worn by Dorothy and Nessarose in previous adaptations, aren't actually red in the book. In the case of Wicked, their team decided to stay faithful to the reference material and used a silver, bejeweled pair instead.
Cynthia Erivo's Four‑Hour Green Transformation
Sitting on a makeup chair is a drag, so I have to applaud Cynthia Erivo for sitting a maximum of four hours every time she does her Elphaba makeup. The process involves airbrushing the green makeup mix to her entire body before adding the little details to complete her look.
Glinda's Glam Powered by r.e.m. Beauty
It makes sense that actress-singer and entrepreneur Ariana Grande would opt to use her own line of makeup products in the film—albeit not for the whole look, though. The superstar apparently loved to add a little highlight on the tips of her pretty nose using an r.e.m. Beauty highlighter.
Perfecting the Witch Hat Took Five Attempts
Elphaba's hat is to Glinda's bubble dress, so of course, it had to be perfect. The Wicked costume team took a while to make the best witch hat since they knew it would be a centerpiece in Elphaba's overall look. After five tries, they finally got it.
Madame Morrible's Weather‑Inspired Hair Design
Madame Morrible's hairdo is directly related to her exceptional skill in controlling the weather. The white hair/wig is styled to simulate how clouds appear when they're spread thinly across the sky. Well, Michelle Yeoh did the whole look justice!
Fiyero's Purposefully Tousled, Color‑Planned Hair
Actor Jonathan Bailey is a handsome gentleman, but he became a full-blown Prince Charming the minute he stepped on set as Fiyero. According to the film's costume designers, they had to add "extra hair" on Bailey to make him more princely and use that as a tool to make some scenes with Elphaba appear romantic!
