Wicked director Jon M Chu has revealed the filming moment that left everyone speechless on set.
The record-breaking movie has achieved enormous success since its release, receiving high praise from both critics and the general public. However, it's not just audiences who have been blown away by the musical adaptation.
In an interview with Deadline, Chu discussed Cynthia Erivo's impressive rendition of 'Defying Gravity', which resulted in a teary reception from the whole crew.
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Encouraged by composer Stephen Schwartz and arranger Stephen Oremus, Erivo experimented with her voice to find Elphaba's unique sound. The end product saw her belting out the iconic final note of the song.
"I tried a couple different things, and they just didn't connect. Then this one just naturally happened," Erivo explained. "I wasn't searching to do a riff. It just landed that way. And when I did, it just felt right."
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The actor chose to perform the song live instead of using their pre-recorded track, leaving the crew speechless.
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"She extended [the note] and it's echoing through this giant warehouse while she's up in the air, and we have leaves and wind blowing at her. I don't even know how [sound] is getting into her airways because we're just blowing air at her," said director Chu.
"But she's doing it, she holds it the whole time, and it's just silence after she's done… I'm looking around all the crew are crying, and I'm like, 'I hope we pressed record.'"
"She's just a powerhouse, doing every single one of those stunts and singing live," added cinematographer Alice Brooks. "She's on this big crazy ride around our sound stage, yet she's singing live and in character. I don’t know how she did it."
Wicked is out now in cinemas, and is also available to buy or rent from Prime Video, iTunes, Microsoft Store and more in the UK.
Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.
