Sentimental Men, Episode 78: "We Saw Wicked For Good! And Met Ariana Grande!"

Release Date: November 1, 2025
Hosts: Quincy Brown & Kevin Bianchi
Podcast Network: Broadway Podcast Network

Episode Overview

In this special episode of Sentimental Men, hosts Quincy and Kevin recount their exhilarating night attending the first-ever screening of “Wicked: For Good” (the highly anticipated second film in the “Wicked” movie adaptation) with Broadway cast members and creatives—plus a very memorable encounter with Ariana Grande. The hosts share their reactions to the film, discuss standout moments, dig into the impact of new material and performances, and reflect on the singular experience of seeing the movie surrounded by “the Wicked family.”

Key Discussion Points

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Event: Attending The “Wicked: For Good” Screening

• Exclusive Atmosphere (01:17 – 04:12):

  • The event was designed as a tribute to the past and present Broadway casts, bringing together the extended “Wicked family.”
  • “It was a fun room… a heartwarming room. It was a beautiful room.” – Quincy [01:50]

• Surreal Entry: Meeting Ariana Grande (03:02 – 04:07):

  • Kevin describes arriving and discovering Quincy with Ariana Grande in the crowd.
  • “Oh, Quincy is standing with Ariana Grande. So now I’m like, okay, now this is happening.” – Kevin [03:36]
  • Both hosts got to meet her and later watched her performance in the movie with her present.

• A Touching Welcome from Joan Grande (Ariana’s Mom) (04:57 – 06:08):

  • Quincy shares the story of Joan Grande greeting him, apologizing for missing a previous event, and gifting both hosts Kleenex for the emotional evening.
  • “She opens her purse…pulls out a pack of Kleenex and hands it to me without a word. Just direct eye contact.” – Quincy [05:12]
  • Kevin notes: “Joan is a real girls girl… put that flashlight on, held it up [for our photo]. That’s a true professional.” [06:08]

Pre-Screening Ceremony: The Creatives Speak (06:34 – 07:14)

• The evening included speeches from Mark Platt, John Chu, Winnie Holtzman, Stephen Schwartz, Ariana Grande, and David Stone.
• "They all talked about how meaningful it was for this to be the first screening... for this group of people who have all done the show eight times a week.” – Quincy [06:53]

First Impressions: The “Wicked: For Good” Film

• Initial Reactions (07:20 – 08:49):

  • Kevin praises the “yummy” new material—particularly two new songs: “All of the new bits are so good.” [08:49]
  • The hosts discuss being pleasantly surprised by placement and content of the new songs, citing “No Place Like Home” as especially impactful.

• Expanded World and Character Building (09:01 – 11:58):

  • The film is described as richer and more political, borrowing from the book and the stage show’s legacy.
  • “This movie, Part 2 For Good, is a lot more political… The stage show loses some of the nation-wide scale of the politics.” – Kevin [09:37]
  • Comparison to “Into the Woods”: “It literally feels like Into the Woods Junior versus Into the Woods proper… act two gets deep and dark and wild.” – Quincy [09:53]

• Deeper Focus on Glinda and Elphaba (11:12 – 12:10):

  • Movie 2 further develops Glinda’s arc while continuing to build on Elphaba’s journey: “You really see more of Glinda’s arc fleshed out… Elphaba also was quite a bit more fleshed out.” – Kevin [11:29]

Standout Musical Sequences & Performances

• “No Good Deed” and “As Long As You’re Mine” (12:05 – 12:26, 19:17 – 19:42):

  • The deeper storytelling in these numbers leaves a lasting mark: “No Good Deed gives a real story… amps up the song.” – Quincy [12:04]
  • Quincy: “Cynthia gave me a ‘No Good Deed’ on a scale I could not have fathomed.” [19:25]

• Heartbreak and Stakes (13:13 – 13:48):

  • A particularly “diabolical” shot in the film’s climax left both hosts emotional: “It gets so sad, guys. So sad and also so beautiful.” – Quincy [13:23]
  • “It takes the stakes of the story very seriously… in a way that I just don’t think stage musicals allow for.” – Quincy [13:33]

• Political & World-Building Tones (13:57 – 14:45):

  • “March of the Witch Hunters” gets praise for world-building and clarifying timeline issues of Act 2.
  • “That felt very world building… the timeline felt clearer.” – Kevin [13:57]

• Maturity & Time Jumps (14:45 – 15:16):

  • The year-long gap between the two movies impacts character maturity. The hosts debate how a double feature might play differently for audiences.

Notable Individual Standouts

• Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible (15:27 – 15:57):

  • Quincy was especially eager to see Michelle Yeoh’s “sinisterness” and “handography.”
  • “She was so striking in that scene… Got a full gasp out of me.” – Kevin [15:41]

• The Cat Fight Scene (15:57 – 16:12):

  • Both hosts agree the iconic on-stage “cat fight” was translated into a unique, equally iconic film moment.

• Breathtaking Visuals & Sequences (16:16 – 17:01):

  • “Bridges, you’ve crossed—one of the most stunning musical things I’ve ever seen…” – Kevin [16:56]
  • “The whole ‘Thank Goodness’ sequence… it builds to what ‘Thank Goodness’ is. So beautiful.” – Kevin [17:01]

Comparing Films: Acting, Direction, and Tone

• Distinct Feel from Part One (17:20 – 18:01):
  • Hosts discuss how the acting, tone, and direction in “Part Two” feel strikingly fresh and different despite being filmed at the same time.
  • “It felt very different… but then I’m thinking, how are you filming this movie one day, movie two the next day?” – Quincy [17:37]

Live Vocals and Cinematic Choices

• Sound Design and Performance (18:32 – 19:17):

  • The hosts detect more “live” quality in the vocals, especially for Glinda’s new song: “I know they cut to a wide because that bitch was crying and had to cut to a good vocal.” – Kevin [18:45]

• Ariana Grande as Glinda: Mature Comedy, Physical Comedy (19:17 – 19:25):

  • “Ariana Grande—a physical comedian… her comedy is different in this movie. It’s matured.” – Quincy

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “It was like, into the woods junior versus into the woods proper—act two just gets deep and dark and wild.” – Quincy [09:53]
• “Cynthia gave me a ‘No Good Deed’ on a scale I could not have fathomed.” – Kevin [19:25]
• “Bridges, you’ve crossed—one of the most stunning musical things I’ve ever seen on a movie screen.” – Kevin [16:56]
• “She [Ariana Grande] gets to do a lot of running around swirling a gown behind her!” – Kevin [19:04]
• “Joan is a real girls girl… Joan whipped out her phone and put that flashlight on [for the photo].” – Kevin [06:08]
• “The movie opens in a really stellar way… you’re just locked in for the whole thing.” – Quincy [21:04]
• “I was kind of blacked out for the whole movie. I was just overstimulated and too excited. I need to see it again.” – Quincy [22:09]

Looking Ahead and Audience Reactions

• The hosts express excitement to see the film with a general audience, predicting different reactions from the non-Wicked-insider crowd.
• There's anticipation about seeing the movie again and experiencing more of its emotional impact now that the initial shock/excitement has subsided.

Timestamps of Major Segments:

• 01:17 – Room atmosphere & anticipation
• 03:02 – Meeting Ariana Grande
• 04:57 – Interaction with Joan Grande
• 06:34 – Creatives’ speeches
• 07:20 – Movie discussion begins
• 09:53 – “Into the Woods”/tone comparison
• 11:12 – Character depth, Glinda and Elphaba
• 12:05 – Praise for “No Good Deed”, “As Long As You’re Mine”
• 13:57 – “March of the Witch Hunters” & timeline clarity
• 15:27 – Michelle Yeoh standout
• 16:09 – Iconic cat fight scene in the film
• 16:56 – Stunning visuals: bridges & “Thank Goodness”
• 17:20 – Differences in acting across both movies
• 18:32 – Live vocals, sound design
• 19:25 – Showstopping numbers & applause
• 21:04 – Opening sequence praise

Final Thoughts & Outro

• Both hosts repeatedly stress their excitement for future viewings, the quality of performances, and the emotional resonance of the film.
• They reflect on the privilege of their unique first-watch experience and their eagerness to discuss the film in more detail after the embargo lifts.
• Quincy: “Obsessulated.”
• Kevin: “There’s more… the lexicon continues to grow.” [23:35]
• “The movie is fantastic. I can’t wait to see it again. I’m so excited for it to be out in the world.” – Quincy [23:51]

This episode is a must-listen for any “Wicked” devotee, Broadway fan, or Ariana Grande enthusiast—a heartfelt, funny, and detailed account of a monumental night in theater and movie history.