Ethan Slater’s Reaction to Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked: For Good’

ethan slater understands The gravity of (syllabic intention). Wicked: for goodIn addition to the algorithmic infiltration of blockbuster franchises, branded merchandise, sold-out performances, and viral memes (which, by the way, the cast watches), Wicked It is a continuation of the nearly 100-year-old phenomenon that first captivated the world in 1939. The adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel came to life once again in 2003, when Wicked Opened on Broadway.

Slater remembers Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel’s rendition of “For Good” as a graduation anthem and a heartfelt tribute sung on birthdays and important occasions. So, watching his girlfriends Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo perform the title duet “For Good” on the set was nothing short of magical. “It’s the song that everybody sang,” he says. “I have the same connection to it as everybody else.”

“Ariana’s Glinda is very special and Cynthia’s Elphaba is very special — it was so beautiful and heartbreaking to see them do it, by two actors who are the best at what they do,” she said, adding that she had the same reaction as everyone else in the theater: tears were shed. “That last moment of that sequence is unreal.”

While Slater and his co-stars didn’t take the responsibility of bringing the iconic musical to the big screen lightly, fun was had during filming — from laughing in between takes to exploring London and checking out local coffee shops and bakeries. (“I’d definitely rather walk around for hours than go to someone like a club.”)

Recalling working with actors such as Grande, Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, and Michelle Yeoh, he says, “No one broke character, but everyone would laugh.” “There was a lot of laughter in character, and then as soon as she was cut, she started rolling on the floor laughing.”

In the first film, Slater’s warmth – which is also evident during our interview – is reflected in his on-screen persona, Bok, who has an endearing innocence about him. Glinda and Elphaba, however, aren’t the only characters with an emotional arc in the second installment, which broke box office records with $226 million in global sales in its opening weekend. Slater’s character undergoes both physical and mental changes after being taken into custody by his ex-girlfriend Nessaros, played by Marisa Bode. The sweet munchkin who once lusted after his classmate, then-Galinda, has literally become stuck, bitter, and hollow.

Although the films premiered a year apart, they were filmed at the same time. Slater says the metamorphosis, however, was a natural progression for the character. “I think it’s a fundamental thing,” he says. “There’s a lot of talk about lizard brains. It’s the same with bok.” “He is stripped of all his humanity, capacity for love and optimism. And all he is left with is anger.”

Bok’s fate and the film’s other broader themes of oppression and discrimination feel more timely than ever in today’s contentious American political climate. Slater’s heartbreaking portrayal is a poignant depiction of the lack of humanity at times in the world. “The question with Bok is, What do you do when you feel isolated, alone, and scared? The answer is that you try to get out, which it does,” Slater says. “But if you can’t do that, that resentment turns into anger.”

Slater’s range as an actor extends far beyond Oz. Early next year, he will star in a play co-written with Marshall Payette marcel on the train About the famous French mime Marcel Marceau who, before his days as a performer, was part of the French Resistance and saved Jewish boys in France from the Nazis.

“I was interested in the story of this artist and how he becomes an artist, but really it’s a story of humanity and the fact that children have the right to grow up and not be preyed upon,” he explains. “It’s a very intense topic, but it feels really poignant and important right now.”

In addition to returning to the stage—he famously originated the role of SpongeBob SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical and also starred in the Broadway revival spamlot—Slater most recently appeared in Season 2 Gen V, Amazon Prime Video spinoff boys, Godolkin as Dr. Thomas Godolkin, founder of Godolkin University. Slater also currently has another silver screen project in the works.

Read on to find out how Slater prepared for Bok’s transformation, what he learned from the role, and how crazy his co-stars are on the Internet. Oh, and warning: Wicked: for good Spoilers ahead.

i loved Wicked: for goodI’ve seen it twice, and the second time it was even better,
It’s great the first time, and then somehow feels better the second time.

What was it like celebrating the success of the film with Ariana, Cynthia and the rest of the cast?
It’s a beautiful thing that fans react to it the way we do. It’s something we lived with for so long. You know, we filmed it years ago and because we filmed both movies together, it always felt like one complete thing. But only a part of it was released in the world. It was very exciting to celebrate that first film, and it was really enjoyable, it was a rare thing to feel that people connect with it the way we do. Now, to finish the tour together and the whole thing now belongs to the world, basically it’s very special.

How do the artists feel about the popularity of this press tour? Do you all send memes to each other?
People send some really nice things to each other. It’s always funny to see a moment like this happen and then see it turn into a meme. It’s a really crazy thing to be like, “Oh, yeah, that was really crazy.” or “How did that snapshot come to be?” It’s definitely fun.

How did you prepare to transform Bok from this sweet guy into the bitter, vengeful (spoiler alert) Tin Man?
Well, I guess that’s what happens in people’s lives. This is why Bok’s story felt so important to me WickedThis is a guy who is finding his place in the first film, He’s looking for love from his community and he thinks he’s found it, But, by the time we get to the second movie, all of them, all those little pieces, have kind of been taken away, He’s lost his friends, he’s lost the woman he was chasing, and then here he is with someone he really loves and cares about, but now he doesn’t really recognize her, From Bok’s perspective, Nessa has changed, He’s still the same Bok, He’s just a fish out of water – and not in a fun cheeky way, but in a scary way,

Where did you get the inspiration to make that change?
The question is, what do you do when you feel frustrated? Everyone is angry. When you’re a kid and you can’t take off your shoes yourself or you want to go outside and you’re not allowed to, you have a seizure. We learn as adults how to control that emotion and turn it into something productive and problem-solving. Bok knows how to solve a problem and turn things into something productive, but as it happens, you become more and more frustrated, and as your heart shrinks metaphorically, and in this case, literally, you have more trouble holding space for those feelings.

We never find out what happens to Bok after all this. What do you think is next for him?
Look, it’s always fun to play those games when you’re working on a character. You’re living in it, and it’s always fun to be like that, what happens next? But, when you’re telling a story, the most important thing is what happened right before? At the end of Bok’s story, he is vengeful. For the story, that’s its end point. It’s really heartbreaking, and we want freedom for that person. I would love to see Bok find redemption, learn the error of his ways, and see his heart grow back. I want her to be reunited with her friends, Glinda and maybe Elphaba. The really heartbreaking thing is that you don’t always get that. In our real world, we don’t always get that. When people are in a state of anger they tend to do things that they cannot correct. There are bells that cannot be rung. In this film, Bok rings a bell which he cannot open.

The cast includes some of the most talented artists of our generation, and perhaps ever, from Ariana and Cynthia to Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum. What did you learn from your time on set?
Certainly being collaborative and generous not only makes for the most fun way to make films, but the best films are made by people who are kind and supportive. John Chu really had a strong vision, and yet he cooperated and operated with everyone so generously. This is a set where everyone stayed put until the entire scene was completed. I learned a lot about the value of generosity.

The film is already getting Oscar buzz. Ariana is also predicted to receive an Oscar award this year. Are artists aware of critical acclaim or do you all just try to focus on the work?
Yeah, I mean it’s definitely hard not to hear things. I think you have to take everything with a grain of salt because, it sounds corny to say, but the real reward is doing it and making it. The fact that people connect with it is really beautiful. It’s valid, and I definitely have strong opinions, and I’m really proud. But you can’t think about it too much, you certainly can’t talk about it too much. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not exciting.

What moment from the set will you always remember?
The first thing that comes to my mind right now is seeing Jeff Goldblum for the first time, meeting Jeff. I believe he came in a black and gold dress, all gold and a black jacket over it, with this incredible hat, and I felt like Oh yes. He is a magician. He was looking amazing.