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Cynthia Erivo Calls Out Fan Edits of ‘Wicked’ Movie Poster as ‘Deeply Hurtful’

Cynthia Erivo Calls Out Fan Edits of ‘Wicked’ Movie Poster as ‘Deeply Hurtful’

Cynthia Erivo, the star portraying Elphaba in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, has spoken out against fan-made edits of the movie poster that she says diminish her role and personal identity. The altered posters, which circulated widely online, changed the original poster to more closely resemble the Broadway musical’s iconic design, sparking a backlash from Erivo.

The official Wicked movie poster, released by Universal Pictures, features Ariana Grande’s Glinda whispering as Erivo’s Elphaba looks ahead. In the fan-edited version, Elphaba’s signature pointy hat was altered to cover Erivo’s eyes, mirroring the original Broadway illustration. While many fans saw the change as a tribute to the musical’s logo, Erivo felt it erased her presence.

Cynthia Erivo

 

In a series of Instagram Stories, Erivo expressed her dismay, stating that the edits “degrade” her and the work she put into the role. “The original poster is an illustration. I am a real-life human being who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer,” she said. “Editing my face and hiding my eyes is to erase me, and that is just deeply hurtful.”

The backlash extended beyond the poster itself. Erivo also called out memes and AI-generated content that took the edits further, including a viral video depicting an imagined fight between the two lead characters, and crude jokes about Elphaba’s appearance. Erivo denounced such content as offensive and degrading. “None of this is funny. None of this is cute,” she wrote. “It degrades me. It degrades us.”

The Wicked adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu, has generated significant buzz ahead of its November 2024 release. The two-part film will bring the beloved Broadway musical to the big screen, with part one focusing on the events leading up to Elphaba’s transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. Despite the excitement surrounding the project, the fan backlash over the poster and subsequent social media response have highlighted the challenges of adapting a beloved stage production.

Chu, who also re-shared the official poster on social media, voiced his support for Erivo, calling her his “superhero” and emphasizing the creative team’s respect for the original source material while also giving it a fresh cinematic take. The director, along with Universal Pictures, has not directly commented on the fan edits, instead highlighting the significance of the film’s homage to the Broadway design.

Despite the controversy, Wicked remains one of the most anticipated films of the year, and the discussion surrounding the poster has only fueled curiosity about how the film will balance staying true to its theatrical roots while bringing a new vision to the screen.

Wicked will hit theaters on November 22, 2024, with the second part following in November 2025. Fans and critics alike are eager to see how Erivo and Grande bring their characters to life in the magical world of Oz.

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