Podcast Summary: Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

Guest: Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked” Movie, Elphaba)

Date: September 28, 2025
Episode Theme:
An intimate, wide-ranging conversation with Cynthia Erivo about her dream-come-true role as Elphaba in the upcoming “Wicked” movie. Cynthia and Willie discuss her lifelong connection to the Broadway smash, her audition journey, working with Ariana Grande, the gravitas of inhabiting a legendary role, and how the experience has shaped both her artistry and her life.

1. Overview of the Episode

Willie Geist sits down with Cynthia Erivo, Tony and Grammy award-winning star, now bringing the role of Elphaba to the “Wicked” movie adaptation. They explore her relationship with the musical, the nerves and joy of landing the part, her creative process, collaborating with Ariana Grande, and the emotional personal resonance of this performance. Cynthia also reflects on the anticipation, responsibility, and breakthrough that comes with playing such an iconic character.

2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

Cynthia’s Lifelong Bond with “Wicked” & Elphaba

• Early Connection to the Music
  • Cynthia first discovered “Wicked” in drama school through the music, not the stage show.
  • Sang the songs at school: "By the time I left drama school, I knew this music off by heart already." (03:49)
• Seeing “Wicked” Onstage
  • Cynthia took herself to see “Wicked” in London at age 25 and immediately connected with Elphaba's outsider status.
  • "Immediately sort of fell in love with the story and with these characters and with Elphaba particularly, just because of how different she was and how outside she felt." (04:28)
• Personal Resonance
  • Feels a deep kinship with Elphaba’s outsider identity: "I funneled all of those experiences and feelings right through her." (08:53)

The Audition Journey and Casting

• Shielding Herself from Hype and Disappointment
  • Avoided hearing about casting rumors: "Don't tell me who else they're talking to. Don't tell me anything about it... Just tell me when they want me to come in." (05:41)
• Preparation and Mindset
  • Put in extensive prep for the audition: “I trained to go in for that audition. I really worked to be ready for it. I didn't want to go in to sort of carelessly or without care.” (06:16)
• The Audition Room & Emotional Discovery
  • Performed key songs: “Defying Gravity,” “The Wizard and I,” “For Good”—the process proved profoundly emotional.
  • "I realized that what I was doing at drama school was using this music to sort of find a space for myself to create a little safe haven..." (06:49)
• John Chu's Reaction
  • Director John M. Chu told his team after Cynthia's audition, “We found Elphaba.” Cynthia recalls: “It blows me away to hear that ... you never assume until you know.” (07:47)
• Learning Ariana Grande Was Cast as Glinda
  • Found out at nearly the same time, creating a sense of a new start together: "We kind of found out almost at the same time." (09:31)
• Notable Announcement Moment
  • The official call came via a somewhat misleading work email and a surprise Zoom: “John Chu comes up, but it doesn't click... then he says, I don't know what planet you came from, Cynthia, but I think the rest of the world should see. And I just broke ... I just cried.” (10:58)

From Excitement to Responsibility

• Grasping the Scale of the Role
  • The weight of portraying Elphaba set in after being announced: “You get like, continuing realizations, moments of realization that, oh, this is a big moment. This is a huge responsibility.” (12:19)
• Managing Expectations
  • Needed to block out expectations from fans: "All I can really do is tell the truth of the story in front of me ... while still being very conscious of what has been and what's come before, but not co-opting those creations.” (15:04)

Building Chemistry with Ariana Grande

• Immediate Connection and Friendship
  • Became fast friends, starting with a chat on Cynthia’s floor, then singing together at director John Chu’s house with composer Stephen Schwartz at the piano: "That's the first time we sing and we sing For Good together and we realize our voices work together." (16:20)
• Ongoing Support and Collaboration
  • Daily messages and support: “Sometimes it would just be, I love you, and that will be it at the end of the day. And that's how we are. We function like that every day now.” (18:01)
  • Strong collaborative effort resulted in deep on-screen chemistry.

Artistic Approach & Performance Details

• Singing Live for Authenticity
  • Both insisted on singing live on set, not lip-syncing: "We found it very, very important to sing live on set because ... we were further connected to the work that we were doing." (19:02)
  • Example: The climactic version of "The Wizard and I" was performed live, not prerecorded. (20:08)
• The Green Elphaba Transformation
  • Opted for practical makeup (not CGI), involved in application process.
  • “There was something very different about walking into a room and being green ... There's an atmosphere that happens when a person is walking into the room who looks like Elphaba.” (20:41)
  • Actively participated in her own makeup and hair for further ownership of the character.

The Power of “Defying Gravity”

• A Pivotal, Full Circle Performance
  • Filming was delayed by the Hollywood strike, then illness—a real-life trial before the triumphant performance.
  • "It felt like the universe was testing my passion for it, and my passion never waned." (25:40)
  • "To be able to proclaim 'I'm Defying Gravity' ... is one of the most thrilling, most meaningful things to me." (26:20)

Impact and New Generations

• Broader Legacy of “Wicked”
  • Recognizes the film will introduce “Wicked” to a new generation: “For them, this will be Wicked.” (27:53)
  • Shared her goddaughter’s recognition of her as the new Elphaba: “It’s a green doll with a witch’s hat ... she recognizes that as me, which is beyond.” (27:53)
• Reflection on Her Journey
  • “Does this feel like a moment to stop and say, I've done okay?” // “Yeah. ... It feels really, really good.” (28:30)

Celebrating the Whole Cast & Collaborative Spirit

• On Her Castmates and Director John Chu
  • Praises Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Johnny Bailey, and the collaborative, generous spirit fostered by Chu.
  • “John Chu ... is one of the most incredible people I've ever met and had the pleasure to work with.” (29:45)

Returning to the Broadway Community

• Being Part of a Close-Knit Family
  • Cynthia describes the Broadway world as small, tight-knit, and familial: “We're a part of a thing that's always changing and moving, even if the script is exactly the same.” (31:33)

Family and Personal Meaning

• Mother’s Pride and Support
  • Cynthia’s mother is thrilled for her, preparing special green and pink clothing for the premiere, symbolizing Elphaba & Glinda. (33:27)
• Love of Green & Character Details
  • The green theme fits perfectly with Cynthia’s personal aesthetic; her love for green even informed Elphaba’s nails, inspired by Oz and old Hollywood: “I wanted to find a way to marry the two together... Another thing that makes her a little bit different to everybody else.” (34:43)

Surreal Moment: Seeing the Times Square Billboard

• Cynthia reacts live to seeing herself (as Elphaba) on a massive Times Square billboard:
  • "That's just ... it's just a huge, huge moment." (36:08)
  • "Like walking through here, seeing all these billboards ... you just don't know it could ever be you. And then it is." (36:52)
• Sense of Arrival
  • Willie: "Your Elphaba. That's it."
  • Cynthia: "There are people who are waiting to see this." (38:17)

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Dream Fulfilled

• “When you have these dreams that you don’t think are going to come true … this is one of those moments.”
  — Cynthia Erivo (02:59)

Protecting the Audition Process

• "Don't tell me who else they're talking to. … Just tell me when they want me to come in and ... I will go in and do whatever is necessary."
  — Cynthia (05:41)

Emotional Realization in Audition

• "I realized that what I was doing at drama school was using this music to find a space for myself to create a little safe haven ..."
  — Cynthia (06:49)

John Chu’s Confirmation

• “He said, ‘We found Elphaba.’”
  — Willie Geist, recounting director John Chu’s reaction (07:47)

Playing an Outsider

• "I guess I funneled all of those experiences and feelings right through her."
  — Cynthia (08:53)

On Singing Live

• “We found it very, very important to sing live on set because it meant that we were further connected to the work that we were doing.”
  — Cynthia (19:02)

On Defying Gravity

• “To be able to proclaim ‘I’m Defying Gravity’ … is one of the most thrilling, most meaningful things to me in this moment, particularly because it feels like ... defying the odds, defying any limitations that might have been set for me.”
  — Cynthia (26:20)

On Legacy

• "For them, this will be Wicked." — Willie Geist (27:53)
• "She recognizes that as me, which is beyond. That's awesome." — Cynthia (27:53)

On Seeing Herself in Times Square

• "That's just ... it's just a huge, huge moment."
  — Cynthia (36:08)
• "Like walking through here, seeing all these billboards ... you just don't know it could ever be you. And then it is."
  — Cynthia (36:52)

4. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|---------------| | Cynthia’s connection to “Wicked” | 03:49-05:00 | | Audition process & John Chu’s reaction | 05:36-07:47 | | Emotional relationship with Elphaba | 08:14-08:53 | | Finding out about Ariana as Glinda | 09:22-09:42 | | The moment she was cast | 10:58-12:01 | | Managing expectations & honoring the past | 15:04-15:56 | | Building chemistry and friendship with Ariana| 16:05-18:49 | | Singing live in the film | 19:02-20:24 | | Elphaba’s makeup & physical transformation | 20:34-22:47 | | Delivering “Defying Gravity” | 25:40-27:14 | | Reflecting on journey & cast's spirit | 27:53-30:39 | | Broadway community and family | 31:19-32:58 | | Mother’s support & family pride | 33:27-34:15 | | Green aesthetic & character details | 34:46-35:30 | | Times Square billboard reveal & reactions | 36:08-38:17 |

5. Episode Tone & Language

The conversation is warm, open, and occasionally playful—marked by deep admiration (from Willie) and candid vulnerability (from Cynthia). Cynthia’s responses are sincere and reflective, often acknowledging her own disbelief and gratitude.

Summary Conclusion

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes testament to the resilience, artistry, and passion involved in Cynthia Erivo’s journey from “Wicked” superfan to the new cinematic Elphaba. Listeners get a personal tour of her preparation, emotional stakes, collaborations, and the gravity of stepping into a legacy role. For fans old and new, the episode is a window into both the magic and the reality behind this anticipated musical event.