Actress Cynthia Erivo, the star who plays Elphaba in the upcoming film Wicked: For Good, was forced to skip scheduled press interviews at the New York City premiere after losing her voice. Universal representatives confirmed the situation on Monday, November 17. They stated: “Cynthia is not feeling well and has lost her voice, therefore she and Ariana will not be doing interviews this evening.” Co-star Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, skipped interviews in solidarity. Jon M. Chu’s second part of the musical adaptation, Wicked: For Good, starring Erivo and Grande in lead roles, in hitting the theatres on November 21, 2025, a year after the release of the first part of the musical adaptation, Wicked (2024). Cynthia Erivo on vocal rest, misses Wicked: For Good promo stop in NYC Do-star Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in Wicked: For Good, also opted out of the press conference. She skipped her own interviews in solidarity with Erivo. Grande was overheard emphasizing the necessity of Erivo’s vocal rest, stating to a reporter: “I’m not letting her speak. She has to rest her voice!” She further added, “She’s throat-coating, we’re nourishing the throat. Thank you for understanding. There’s only so much the human body can endure.” In a recent interview with the BBC published on November 18, 2025, Cynthia Erivo discussed the profound personal and professional journey of playing Elphaba in the Wicked film series. Erivo revealed the dramatic way she was cast, describing how director Jon M. Chu and the team surprised her with the news over a late-night Zoom call under the pretense of discussing a new project. When addressing the work involved, Erivo emphasized the intense physical demands of the role. The Wicked: For Good star stated: “It’s one thing singing on the ground, it’s one thing singing whilst you’re moving, it’s another thing singing when you don’t have the ground underneath you and you’re being moved. through the space.” She elaborated on the technical aspect of her flight training adding: “The interesting thing about flying is that you the wires will move you from point A to point B but the the flip itself has to be you. a flip won’t begin unless you begin it so it really is about learning how to use your body in the space in the air before making the sound.” Releasing on November 21, the film will also feature Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum reprising their roles from the prequel. Colman Domingo is also cast as the voice of the cowardly lion. The film is set in the Land of Oz, taking place before and continuing through the events of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It revolves around the development of the complex relationship between two young women, Elphaba and Glinda, as they navigate their destinies and ultimately embrace their iconic identities: the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Stay tuned for more updates on Wicked: For Good.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/movies/news-cynthia-erivo-opts-wicked-for-good-interviews-due-voice-loss
