The Oscar winner also admitted to TooFab exclusively she “hadn’t seen Wicked” before taking on her role as Madame Morrible in the musical adaptation.
Michelle Yeoh had déjà vu watching Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s friendship grow on set.
While speaking exclusively to TooFab ahead of the release of Wicked, the Oscar winner opened up about watching the sisterhood between the pair blossom throughout filming.
“For me, I see the yin and yang, the perfect fit, and they just bring out the best in each other. It reminded me of Jamie Lee Curtis and myself,” Yeoh — who plays Madame Morrible in the musical adaptation — told TooFab exclusively.
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Curtis and Yeoh came together on the set of 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, with both of them winning Academy Award trophies for their performances. Similarly to Grande and Erivo, the former costars are known to speak highly of each other in the press, social media and more — propping each other up in the spotlight and not allowing themselves to be pitted against each other.
“When that happens, it’s such a blessing. You can’t explain why. You know that you are going to be with this person for a few months … and especially with Wicked 1 and 2, Cynthia and Ariana, you better get along. You better be like that,'” she continued.
Both actresses have gushed about their friendship throughout the film’s press tour as they prepare for its highly-anticipated release, with many of the emotional moments between Erivo and Grande going viral online.
“It was just magical watching them because they both are such giving, loving human beings,” Yeoh added, before recalling what watching them first hand was like on set.
“It’s like Ariana is just like this dainty little fairy person dancing around the whole time. And Cynthia is more grounded,” she added. “And then they both sort of swirl around each other always with love.”
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During TooFab’s interview with Yeoh, the 62-year-old actress admitted she felt immense pressure when taking on the role as Madame Morrible, thanks to the musical’s “legacy” and massive fanbase.
“It’s 20 years. It’s so loved by different generations of the audiences not just in New York and London, but globally that has loved this musical for so long and protected it. It’s always a great pressure,” she said of stepping into shoes previously worn by stars including Sheryl Lee Ralph, Carol Kane, Rue McClanahan, Alexandra Billings and more.
However, Yeoh said she felt safe in the hands of her director and previous collaborator, Jon M. Chu, who who directed Crazy Rich Asians. The actress played family matriarch Eleanor Young in the 2018 blockbuster.
“I have John Chu … I have the most amazing team that they have assembled in front of the camera, behind the camera. So at any point when you felt, ‘Am I saying this right? Am I getting the right approach?’ I can always turn around and go, ‘Help. I need some help here,’ and there will be always someone who is there who knows the history really, really well,” Yeoh shared of the onset vibe.
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While Yeoh did want to pay homage to the stage character who is beloved by musical theatre fans throughout the world, she stressed that film is a totally different medium.
“When you are doing a cinema experience, it’s a slightly different approach as well. And I think that was very important because otherwise we do not want our audience to sit there and go, ‘I’m watching the stage musical, right?'” she shared.
“You want them to have a magical, exhilarating, immersive cinematic experience. And I think that’s what John Chu and his team has really done so well,” she told TooFab.
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Along with having director Chu to help ease any initial nerves, the actress — who admitted to TooFab she had not seen Wicked prior to landing the role — had musical theatre die-hards Grande and Erivo to guide her too. In fact, Chu called upon the actresses to convince Yeoh to take on the role in Wicked during the casting process.
“I really have a great trust and respect for the way he [Chu] thinks. And I believed he wanted me for that role for a very strong reason. And when he and Ariana and Cynthia sent that video to say it’s imperative [she joined the cast], it was like I had no doubt I was going on board because it sounded like such an amazing experience,” Yeoh recalled.
“At that point, I hadn’t gone to see Wicked. I hadn’t seen it in the theaters at all. I hadn’t been to the theater for quite a few years, unfortunately,” said Yeoh. “So that brought me back to one of my big loves, going to the theater again and watching and understanding why this Wicked has been so loved and how you relate to the characters, how you engage and how they engage with you, so I was very, very excited to be part of this whole amazing experience.”
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Despite Yeoh not having seen Wicked earlier in her life, she has definitely been known to defy gravity in her career.
In 2023, she became the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The Malaysian actress has been working since 1984, but has seen an explosion of roles in blockbusters later in life, an anomaly in Hollywood.
When asked how women can continue to “defy gravity,” Yeoh said it’s all about believing in yourself.
“I think what it is, it’s up to you,” Yeoh told TooFab exclusively. “Bottom line is it’s always up to you. If you see your beauty, that’s how you have defied gravity.”
Wicked: Part One will hit theaters on Nov. 22.
