The mystery has been lifted! Since her debut in Wicked: For Good (not a spoiler — the character’s arrival was hinted at in the trailer), fans have been speculating about the identity of the actress who plays Dorothy, and the reveal is now out in the open.
Taking to Instagram, British star Bethany Weaver shared some behind-the-scenes photos from the movie set, including a group shot with the Wizard of Oz crew (The Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion), and Oscar, the dog who brought Toto to life on the big screen, while acknowledging her role as the girl from Kansas.
“What an honour it has been to walk on the yellow brick road with my fellow Witch Hunters,” reads the caption. “A huge thank you to the best film maker of all time Jon M Chu for choosing me to be your Dorothy in this wonderfully wicked universe called Oz.
“This has been a life changing experience, it’s changed me in so many ways and most importantly, for good. It’s been an honor to carry the legacy of the brilliant women before me who have stepped into these shoes, and embarked on the yellow brick road. I hope I have made them proud.”
As with the original Broadway musical, Wicked: For Good conceals Dorothy’s face from viewers, instead showing only her back as she walks down the Yellow Brick Road and stands before the Wizard. According to The Sun, the secrecy surrounding Weaver’s role was so significant that she was stopped from attending major premieres, while other cast and crew were banned from following or interacting with her on social media.
In any case, the highly anticipated sequel has proven to be a box-office hit. It collected an opening haul of US$226 million globally, setting a new record for a Broadway adaptation. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, alongside Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) as Fiyero Tigelaar, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park franchise) as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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