WICKED: The Official Podcast

About WICKED: The Official Podcast

Welcome to the official Wicked podcast! Consider this your all-access pass to the land of Oz. Presented by Universal Pictures and Vanity Fair, and hosted by Chris Murphy, this series features intimate conversations with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and the cast – along with Director Jon M. Chu and the visionary creative team that brought this beloved story to life. Over eight weeks, we’ll pull back the emerald curtain to uncover the secrets of making Wicked – from building the massive sets and recording the iconic songs, to crafting the dazzling costumes, makeup, and visual language that reimagined Oz for a new generation, all while tackling the challenge of filming two movies at once. Following the release of Wicked: For Good on November 21, we’ll travel even further down the yellow brick road to explore story changes, performances, Easter eggs, and the creative evolution that makes these films one of cinema’s most spellbinding productions. Watch Wicked: For Good at home on the Apple TV app. https://apple.co/WFGMovie

Publisher

Universal Pictures

Category

news · tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Oct 2025

Latest episode

18 Dec 2025

Latest episodes

8 of 9 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   18 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Changed For Good

   Wicked has always been a story about perspective — who gets remembered, who gets misunderstood, and how friendship can reshape the meaning of “good” and “wicked” forever. In this final episode of Wicked: The Official Podcast, we arrive at the end of our journey through Oz, reflecting on how this story has evolved across generations and why it still holds us. Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt look back on the responsibility of honoring L. Frank Baum’s original world, Gregory Maguire’s reimagining, and the Broadway phenomenon that followed, all while making room for something new. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reflect on saying goodbye to Elphaba and Glinda, and on the friendship at the heart of the story that transformed both characters and performers alike. Joined by cast and creatives across Oz, they share memories of the moments, choices, and collaborations that changed them… for good. As our time in Oz comes to a close, the story reminds us how perspective can change everything.

2. 

   11 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Thrillifying Threads and Magical Makeup

   The characters of Wicked are defined not only by what they do, but by how they appear — and in Wicked: For Good, every nuance of style, color, silhouette, and texture becomes a clue to who they are and where they’re going. Hair and makeup designer Frances Hannon, costume designer Paul Tazewell, and director Jon M. Chu take us inside the artistry behind Elphaba’s evolving green and Glinda’s luminous blonde — from the microbraids, nails, and freckles tracing Elphaba’s journey to the shimmering gowns, bubble dresses, and wedding silhouette shaping Glinda’s. They also share the story behind Elphaba’s iconic knit cardigan in As Long As You’re Mine, as well as the transformations that define Boq’s Tin Man, Fiyero’s Scarecrow, Nessa’s journey, and the signature looks of the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Cast members Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, and Marissa Bode share how these looks shaped their performances — grounding power, vulnerability, and reinvention in every frame.

3. 

   4 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Building the World of Wicked

   Wicked cast a vivid spell with its production design — and Wicked: For Good deepens that magic by expanding Oz into an even grander, more immersive world. Production designer Nathan Crowley, cinematographer Alice Brooks, editor Myron Kerstein, and director Jon M. Chu take us inside the craft that shaped everything from the Emerald City’s skyline to the Yellow Brick Road, revealing how towering practical sets, intricate illusions, and cutting-edge VFX bring this new chapter of Oz to life. Cast members Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, and Bronwyn James share what it felt like to inhabit these environments — performing alongside VFX animals, riding the Wizard’s hand-built rollercoaster, and stepping into spaces that were at times fully constructed and at other times entirely imagined — a testament to the collaborative magic behind every corner of this world.

4. 

   27 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Inside the New Songs of Wicked: For Good

   In Wicked: For Good, two new songs open a window into what Elphaba and Glinda have never spoken aloud. Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, executive music producer Stephen Oremus, and director Jon M. Chu reveal how “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” were crafted to deepen each witch’s inner world — from Elphaba’s reckoning with belonging to Glinda’s emotional awakening. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande share how performing the new material live shaped their portrayal of separation, reunion, confrontation, and the choices that ultimately lead them to “For Good.” And with insight from Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and cinematographer Alice Brooks, we explore the intense and cinematic turning points that bring the story to its final, unforgettable moments.

5. 

   20 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Music of Wicked: For Good

   The music of Wicked has always carried the heart of the story—first on Broadway, and now across two epic films. In this episode, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, music supervisor and arranger Stephen Oremus, and film composer John Powell take us inside the melodies, themes, and collaborative process that shaped Wicked: For Good—from reimagining classic songs to building a new musical vocabulary for Jon M. Chu’s cinematic vision. Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt reflect on how music guided some of the film’s boldest choices, while Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, and Jeff Goldblum share how performing these numbers—often live—transformed their characters and the world of Oz itself. Spoiler alert: this episode explores musical changes between the Broadway show and the film adaptation—including reimagined numbers and the emotional architecture behind them. But we’re saving the two new songs and the titular number for next week!

6. 

   13 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Our Ozmopolitan Ensemble

   In a story about unlikely friendships, the cast and crew of Wicked found their own—forming the heart and soul of Oz itself. Casting directors Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield reveal what it takes to find the perfect Ozian personalities, while actors Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, and Bronwyn James share stories of auditions, collaboration, and building their characters from the inside out. From accessibility and inclusion to unforgettable on-set memories, every moment reflects the magical spirit that defines Wicked. And finally, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reflect on the joy of performing Wicked: One Wonderful Night—the live concert at the Dolby Theatre that reunited the cast and celebrated the music of Oz, now streaming on Peacock.

7. 

   6 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Two Films, One Magical Journey

   To bring Oz to life, the Wicked team had to defy gravity in more ways than one—filming two epic movies simultaneously. Director Jon M. Chu led an extraordinary team of artists and dreamers, transforming one timeless story into a two-part cinematic event. Writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox reveal how the world of Wicked expanded beyond the stage, while producer Marc Platt reflects on the precision and heart it took to make the impossible possible. Oscar winners Nathan Crowley, Frances Hannon, and Paul Tazewell share how every color, costume, and brushstroke helped redefine Oz for a new generation. And from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Bronwyn James, the cast recounts what it meant to live—and act—between two eras at once.

8. 

   30 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Entering Oz

   The story of Wicked begins here. Producer Marc Platt, composer Stephen Schwartz, and writer Winnie Holzman trace how Gregory Maguire’s novel became a Broadway sensation – before director Jon M. Chu took on the monumental task of bringing Oz to the big screen. In this episode, Jon’s cast and collaborators, from production designer Nathan Crowley and costume designer Paul Tazewell to casting directors Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield, share why his vision, heart, and imagination made him the perfect person to lead this journey. Finally, we hear from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande on how they found their way – by broomstick and bubble – into the roles of a lifetime.

9. 

   28 Oct 2025

   Introducing WICKED: The Official Podcast

   Presented by Universal Pictures and Vanity Fair, and hosted by Chris Murphy, the official Wicked podcast is your all-access pass to the land of Oz. Featuring intimate conversations with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, director Jon M. Chu, and the creative team behind Wicked, this eight-part series reveals how the iconic sets, songs, and visuals came to life across two epic films.

Inside a recent episode

Changed For Good

Published 18 Dec 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And I'd like to try to be glinted the good. To me, that's all the whole message. We are not good. We are not wicked. We are all sort of a mess of in between and our choices are the negotiation of all those and every day. And yet, the best thing we can do, the thing we have most controls, we can try. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

333 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

203 ratings

Contact WICKED: The Official Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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