Wicked to me is not just a film about Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s not just a musical filled with songs and dance numbers. It’s not just a film with all the pomp and circumstance. No—Wicked is so much more.
The very first movie I ever fell in love with, and in some ways the one that sealed my fate as a film lover, was The Wizard of Oz. My grandma had recorded a special edition program hosted by the great Angela Lansbury on a good old-fashioned VHS tape. One day, while I was visiting her, she popped it into the VHS player and showed me The Wizard of Oz. I. WAS. OBSESSED. Every time I went to see her—which was usually weekly—I watched it over and over again. I wore that recording out so badly that my grandma eventually broke down and bought me the official VHS copy. Looking back, it’s funny, but it’s also one of my most treasured memories.
I’m not sure exactly what drew me to The Wizard of Oz at first, but looking back, I think I understand. It was the message for the outsiders—for the people who don’t have courage, the people who don’t feel smart enough, the people who don’t quite fit in, and for those searching for the place where they belong. Home. Home doesn’t have to be a physical building; maybe it’s the “home” you build with your community of friends and family. Or maybe it’s something you carry inside—your heart, mind, and soul. The Wizard of Oz gave me that feeling, that longing to be myself and build a life I could call home. And I think I achieved that—with my beautiful wife, who loves me inside and out, and my precious boys, who I’m raising to be people who love people. So far, so good!
I discovered Wicked, the stage musical, as a high school student. I’d heard of it because of a cousin who loved Broadway, but all I really knew was that it was a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. On a class trip during my sophomore year to Chicago, I finally got to see it. I was in AWE. Wicked took the themes I had felt so deeply in The Wizard of Oz and expanded on them, giving people the courage to be authentically themselves. Sure, there are political undertones—speaking truth to power, exposing how leaders manipulate to keep control—but for me, it was the personal message that hit home.
High school was rough, as it is for most people, but when you’re in it, it feels like you’re the only one struggling. I didn’t know who I was or how to be myself. I talked differently, I walked differently. I kept my head down because too much attention meant I’d get laughed at. I wasn’t “the jock.” I wasn’t “the rich preppy kid.” Honestly, I didn’t know what I was. I was good at music, singing, and acting, but I was scared to put myself out there. Then came Wicked. Afterward, I wasn’t afraid anymore. I embraced who I was. I started talking to people, making friends. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone. Defying Gravity became more than just a song—it became a mantra. A theme to live by. Once I found ME, I never wanted to be anything but ME.
Later, I took my little cousin to see it after years of making her listen to the songs. I saved up enough money to surprise her, and we made a whole day of it! We dressed up, spent the evening at the theater, and watched Wicked. It came alive for her, just like it had for me. Defying Gravity quickly became her mantra too. It was the song we always blasted in the car, belting out the lyrics at the top of our lungs. When I got married, I got tickets again—for my wife, my cousin and her fiancé, and my parents—and saw it a third time. And honestly, I’d happily pay for a fourth and fifth. No question.
So when the Wicked film came out last year, I was nervous. Could it live up to the stage musical? Could it capture the same themes of love, acceptance, and empowerment—and still be amazing? In my book, it absolutely did. Wicked instantly became one of my favorite films of the year—and my favorite horse in the Oscar race (especially after the crime of snubbing Sing Sing—but that’s another story!). Within minutes, I felt like I was in good hands with Jon M. Chu. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was watching THE EVENT of the year. But little did I know that Defying Gravity, the mantra I’d lived by for 18 years, would suddenly belong to my son, too.
The film came out the weekend of my birthday, so of course I said, “Let’s take the whole family!” I wasn’t sure if my kids were old enough to enjoy it—my oldest was six, my youngest four. Sure, some of it went over their heads, but they were entertained the whole time. Then came the moment I’ll never forget. It was time for Defying Gravity. I knew it was coming, and I couldn’t just sit back casually for my life song. I scooted to the edge of my seat, elbows on my knees. The song began, Cynthia Erivo was soaring, and suddenly my son recognized it. He set his popcorn down, stood up, and grabbed my hand. I turned to him, and he gave me the biggest grin I’ve ever seen. Tears welled up in my eyes. Then he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and together we belted out the last notes. We laughed, cheered, clapped with such joy and love that my heart knew: this would be his Wizard of Oz.
Now, as we await Wicked: For Good, my whole family is buzzing with excitement. Today, when I watched the trailer on my phone, my boys heard it from another room and immediately ran over. They are PUMPED—and so am I. Jon M. Chu won me over completely with the first film, and I trust him with this sequel. Cynthia Erivo has one of the greatest voices of our time, and Ariana Grande inhabits Glinda like she was born for it. The trailer gave me chills, filled me with emotion, and—luckily for me—this one also comes out around my birthday! I’ll be there, ready to laugh, sing, cheer, and maybe shed a tear or two, right next to my son who will do the same.
The Oscar race, as Sasha always says, is fluid. When a new film drops, the race shifts. No one knows yet what impact Wicked: For Good will have, but let me tell you right now: I’ll be championing this film FOR ALL THE OSCARS. If it has the heart, the love, the empowerment, and all the magic I expect, it can absolutely lift our spirits and fly all the way to the Dolby to collect the gold it so richly deserves. Underestimate it at your own peril. Trust me—this film has the power to DEFY the odds.
So, without further ado, if you haven’t seen it yet, enjoy this beautiful trailer—and as always, my friends: Let’s Talk Cinema!
