Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
Unscripted Moments That Were Kept in Wicked & Bonus Ones That Were Deleted
MsMojo
Follow
1/9/2025
Behind the scenes of "Wicked Part One"! Discover the unscripted magic that made it into the final cut, from Ariana Grande's hilarious improv to Cynthia Erivo's spontaneous moments that brought extra charm to this magical musical adaptation.
Category
🗞
News
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
That's a choice.
00:03
Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for some of our favorite moments
00:08
from Wicked and its deleted scenes where the cast conjured up their lines on the spot.
00:13
And it was just funny that whole sequence is just made up on the spot, it was just hilarious.
00:20
Number 10.
00:21
Madame Morrible's thunderous clap.
00:23
Leading into the climactic part one finale, Elphaba exposes the wizard for who he really
00:28
is, a total fraud.
00:42
She grabs the grimmery and makes a break for it, leading Madame Morrible to jump in with
00:47
some quick damage control.
00:49
She approaches the newly winged monkeys, commanding their attention with a thunderous double clap.
01:03
According to Michelle Yeoh, director Jon Amchu simply gave her the direction to quote, take
01:08
charge of the room, and left the rest up to her.
01:11
Needless to say, she understood the assignment, and then some.
01:24
Look you don't become the revered headmistress of an institution like Shiz without perfecting
01:28
the art of owning a room, or scaring everyone into paying attention.
01:33
Number 9.
01:34
Glinda pops out of earshot.
01:36
In a parallel universe, Ariana Grande would've made her name as a comedy improviser superstar.
01:48
She also showed us how well she understood her character, sprinkling in the most Glinda-fied
01:53
ad-libs.
01:54
One such example is just after No One Mourns the Wicked as she prepares to fly away in
01:58
her bubble.
01:59
Before she can take off, a munchkin asks her about her friendship with Elphaba, only it
02:04
turns out that her bubble is pretty soundproof.
02:16
During an interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Grande revealed that her line there was something
02:20
she came up with off-camera.
02:23
Chu liked it so much that he encouraged her to repeat it during an official take.
02:32
Number 8.
02:33
Glinda's Dust Dance.
02:35
Because there has been so much rumor and speculation, let us set the record straight.
02:39
Yes, Grande had rehearsed this dance before filming.
02:42
This moment marks Glinda's attempt to connect with Elphaba, bridging their worlds through
02:47
a shared language, and what they create is nothing short of magical.
03:00
Part of that is thanks to Grande, who avoided committing the choreography to memory so that
03:04
the moment looked and felt real as if she was actually attempting these moves for the
03:08
very first time.
03:24
Then there's Elphaba's tear that Glinda wipes away in a poignant touch.
03:29
Although it reportedly first happened in rehearsals, they never thought they'd be so lucky for
03:33
lightning to strike twice.
03:45
Number 7.
03:46
Give Me My Leg.
03:48
Just before defying gravity, Elphaba and Glinda try to make a quick getaway from the wizard's
03:52
palace.
03:53
As guards close in, they scramble into a hot air balloon, only for one guard to grab Glinda's
03:58
leg and pull her down.
04:00
In classic Glinda style, she snaps at him.
04:11
It's such a simple, funny moment, and pure Grande.
04:15
As she later shared, it was an off-the-cuff line that she didn't think much about, but
04:18
it made her co-star break.
04:34
Cynthia Erivo found it so hilarious that she insisted they redo the take to make sure audiences
04:39
could enjoy the moment just as much as she had.
04:41
Sometimes it's the little improvised touches that steal the show.
04:56
Number 6.
04:57
Kicking Off a Popular Dance Move.
04:59
According to choreographer Christopher Scott, Grande developed much of Glinda's physicality
05:04
herself, truly becoming the role from the moment she entered the room.
05:08
As a wicked superfan, she brought out those little quirks that made her Glinda unique,
05:13
while still paying respect to those who've played her before.
05:28
Grande also shared how a moment from her first audition ended up in the final movie.
05:32
When I see Elfie's shoes, I said, ew, I'll show you what shoes to wear, and said, whoa,
05:37
and he liked it.
05:38
And I remember him pointing it out to me and being like, that, more, play, like, I love
05:42
that, that's so fun, please.
05:44
This isn't her only personal touch on the number either.
05:47
Scott recalled how one day, while Grande was just playing around on set, she casually threw
05:51
in this jaw-dropping high kick.
05:54
Scott was so blown away, he immediately knew it had to make the final cut.
06:08
Number 5.
06:09
Glinda Gets On Board.
06:11
Elphaba and Glinda's adventures in the Emerald City mark a pivotal moment in the narrative,
06:15
and in the movie, it all begins with a train ride.
06:22
Although this is meant to be Elphaba's big moment, Glinda naturally steals the scene.
06:27
As the train starts to pull away, Elphaba extends a last-minute invite.
06:32
Although Glinda plays the role of the humble friend to perfection, it doesn't take her
06:36
long to change her tune.
06:46
Come on, who's gonna pass up the opportunity to meet the wonderful Wizard of Oz?
06:51
It's so funny and has since become iconic, but would you believe this was another of
06:55
Grande's off-the-cuff comedic gems?
06:57
And one of her favorites.
07:09
Number 4.
07:10
A Man.
07:11
The Wizard might not have been ready for Elphaba to bring a friend along, but it turns out
07:15
Glinda wasn't prepared to meet the man behind the curtain either.
07:18
When the friends first encounter the Wizard, they're pretty intimidated by the giant mechanical
07:23
head.
07:24
Who wouldn't be?
07:37
But after Elphaba introduces herself, the Wizard decides to make a more personal entrance.
07:42
As he steps out from behind the curtain, Glinda quickly points out,
07:47
Again, this was totally Grande.
07:50
It's just two words, but the way she delivers them is so true to character and surprisingly
07:55
funny.
07:56
Grande has said that this was another of her favorite improv moments.
08:08
Number 3.
08:09
An Unscripted Wicked Wink.
08:11
Defying Gravity arguably sets the bar for Act 1 finales.
08:25
Yet the movie ups the ante, extending the number and pulling audiences even deeper into
08:30
the theatrical spectacle and wide range of emotions in play.
08:34
In one quieter moment, Glinda and Elphaba realize this is goodbye.
08:54
Not ready to face that quite yet, Glinda walks off to find a cape for her trembling friend.
09:00
As she ties it around Elphaba, the latter gives her a simple wink.
09:03
Erivo shared that she was only directed to comfort Glinda, and the wink and smile were
09:07
her own idea.
09:24
It's a small gesture, yet it says so much about their connection.
09:29
Number 2.
09:30
Bowen Yang.
09:31
Just Bowen Yang.
09:32
SNL star Bowen Yang was cast as Glinda's friend Fanny, a character from Gregory Maguire's
09:37
novel who was gender swapped for the movie.
09:49
During an appearance on The Tonight Show, he shared that Chu often encouraged him to
09:53
improvise.
09:54
What he didn't expect was that much of his off-script dialogue would actually make it
09:58
into the final cut.
10:12
That reveal alone gave us a reason to go back and re-watch the film yet again.
10:17
Interestingly, one line that gained traction didn't even make it into the film.
10:21
In a deleted scene, Glinda reunites with her school friends and asks them how they've
10:25
been.
10:26
This response really seemed to resonate with the fans.
10:36
Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
10:40
about our latest videos.
10:42
You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
10:46
If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
10:52
Number 1.
10:53
Some Wonderfully Good Improv.
10:55
Being popular, Glinda pauses to show Elphaba some of those flounces she mentioned earlier.
11:11
First she teaches Elphaba to toss her hair and then tries to conjure up a ball gown.
11:15
All too hilarious results.
11:17
In a red carpet interview, Erivo shared that the whole sequence was improvised.
11:21
And now, thanks to released deleted scenes, we get to see some of the bits that didn't
11:34
make the cut, and they're absolutely hysterical.
11:56
Grande was encouraged to have fun with it, and she definitely took that to heart.
12:00
Cinematographer Alice Brooks said that they had so many takes of Glinda waving her wand,
12:04
each funnier than the last, they didn't even know how they'd pick which one to use.
12:25
Were you surprised to learn any of these moments were abraca-ad-libbed?
12:28
Let us know in the comments.
12:37
Do you agree with our picks?
12:38
Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
12:41
And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
Recommended
12:43
|
Up next
Top 10 Best Behind the Scenes Stories About the Making of Wicked
MsMojo
12/4/2024
10:07
Best WICKED Bloopers & Behind-the-Scenes Footage
MsMojo
6/4/2025
12:31
Top 10 Moments in Wicked We Have on Loop
MsMojo
1/8/2025
1:37
A Week On the Wicked Set with Ariana Grande
FanReviews
10/31/2024
3:10
What Is This Feeling from the Musical Movie Wicked
FanReviews
11/26/2024
0:43
The Wizard And I Sing-Along from Wicked
FanReviews
12/18/2024
0:57
Defying Gravity Sing-Along from Wicked
FanReviews
12/23/2024
14:35
Top 10 Funniest Moments from Wicked: Part 1
MsMojo
1/16/2025
0:15
Sing-Along Screenings for the Hit Musical Movie Wicked
FanReviews
12/10/2024
5:11
Creating the Magical Score for the Blockbuster Wicked
FanReviews
1/7/2025
12:29
Wicked: For Good Trailer Breakdown | Gelphie, Musical Changes, & Wizard of Oz Nods
MsMojo
6/5/2025
2:49
Watch Ariana Grande Transform into Galinda for Wicked
FanReviews
11/7/2024
3:32
Wicked Trailer #1 (2024 Movie) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
Zero Trailers
5/15/2024
0:42
Stream the Blockbuster Musical Wicked Now at Home
FanReviews
12/31/2024
4:19
Cynthia Erivo Soars as Elphaba: Redefining Wicked’s Iconic Role
FanReviews
12/24/2024
1:00
Musical Event Trailer for Wicked with Ariana Grande
FanReviews
10/9/2024
3:31
Wicked Trailer #1 (2024 LEGO Movie) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
Zero Trailers
5/29/2024
2:01
Oz is Full of Surprises in the New Movie Wicked
FanReviews
10/23/2024
0:30
Wait Till You See This Trailer for the Musical Movie Wicked
FanReviews
10/27/2024
12:54
Top 10 Ways Wicked the Movie Differs from Wicked the Musical
MsMojo
11/27/2024
2:36
Unveiling the Magic: A Behind-the-Scenes Journey of Wicked with Ariana Grande
FanReviews
5/13/2024
2:34
Magical New Trailer for Wicked with Ariana Grande
FanReviews
9/5/2024
1:00
Wicked First Look (2024) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande Movie HD
Zero Trailers
2/13/2024
0:30
Glinda The Good Trailer for Wicked with Ariana Grande
FanReviews
9/12/2024
10:54
Everything We Know About Wicked: For Good So Far
MsMojo
1/21/2025