You’ve seen the trailers. You’ve heard Ariana Grande hitting those impossibly high notes in the Ozian sky. But when the Wicked behind the scenes NBC special aired, it wasn't just another corporate fluff piece designed to sell movie tickets. It felt personal. There’s something specifically jarring—in a good way—about seeing Jon M. Chu’s massive practical sets without the digital "vibe" of a finished film. It’s raw.
If you grew up obsessed with the 2003 Broadway cast recording, you know the stakes here are terrifyingly high. People don’t just "like" Wicked; they live it. So, when NBC decided to peel back the curtain, they weren't just showing us how they made a movie. They were trying to prove to a skeptical, theater-loving public that they didn't ruin a masterpiece. Honestly, the most shocking part wasn't the singing. It was the flowers.
The Nine Million Tulips and Other Wild Logistics
Most big-budget movies these days are basically actors standing in a giant green bucket. You know the look. Everything feels slightly hazy, slightly disconnected. But for this production, the team actually planted about 9 million real tulips. Just think about that for a second. That is a logistical nightmare that sounds like something out of an old-school 1930s Hollywood epic.
During the Wicked behind the scenes NBC footage, you can see the cast actually walking through these fields. It changes the way they move. Cynthia Erivo isn't just "acting" like she’s in a field; she’s worried about tripping over a bulb. This commitment to physical space is what Jon M. Chu (the guy who gave us In the Heights) insisted on. He wanted "tactile Oz."
Why Practical Sets Matter for Elphaba
When Erivo’s Elphaba climbs the clock tower or walks through Shiz University, she’s touching carved stone and wood. In the NBC special, the cameras linger on the texture of the costumes designed by Paul Tazewell. You can see the intricate stitching on the Shiz uniforms. This isn't just for the actors' benefit. It creates a visual weight that CGI simply cannot replicate, no matter how much money you throw at a rendering farm.
The Emerald City set was apparently so large it took up multiple soundstages at Sky Studios Elstree in the UK. They built a freaking train. A real, functional-looking Ozian train. Seeing the actors react to these physical structures in the behind-the-scenes clips explains why the performances feel so grounded despite the flying monkeys and magic wands.
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Ariana and Cynthia: The Chemistry Wasn't Scripted
We’ve all seen the press tours where actors pretend to be best friends. It’s usually pretty transparent. But the Wicked behind the scenes NBC footage caught moments that felt... actually real. There’s a specific clip of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo huddled together between takes, wrapped in heavy coats to ward off the English chill, whispering like actual college roommates.
They’ve spoken openly about how they leaned on each other. Erivo, a Tony and Emmy winner, and Grande, a global pop icon who actually started in musical theater (shoutout to 13 the Musical), come from totally different worlds. Yet, their vocal blend is what everyone was worried about.
- Vocal Recording: They didn't just lip-sync to a pre-recorded track in every scene.
- Live Singing: Huge chunks of the "Defying Gravity" and "Popular" sequences featured live vocals on set.
- The Physical Toll: Erivo was often suspended in a harness while belt-singing. That is physically exhausting. Try doing a plank while screaming a high E-flat. It’s not fun.
The special highlights how Grande spent years lobbying for the role of Glinda. She didn't just walk into it. She "deconstructed" her pop persona, working with acting coaches and vocal teachers to find a more classical, legit soprano tone. Seeing her in the rehearsal room, stripped of the "Ariana Grande" brand, is probably the most humanizing thing NBC could have shown us.
Breaking Down the "Defying Gravity" Sequence
Look, we have to talk about the broom. In the Wicked behind the scenes NBC special, the technical breakdown of the "Defying Gravity" sequence is the clear highlight. This isn't just wirework. It’s a choreographed dance between the camera operators, the stunt riggers, and Erivo.
The lighting in this scene is particularly complex. They used a massive amount of LED volume tech mixed with traditional stage lighting to mimic the glowing aura of Elphaba’s magic. It’s a hybrid approach. It respects the theatrical roots of the show while utilizing the scale of cinema.
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"It’s not just about the flight," Jon M. Chu mentioned during a segment. "It’s about the emotional breakthrough. If the audience doesn't feel her heart breaking as she rises, the stunt is a failure."
This philosophy seems to permeate the entire production. The behind-the-scenes look at the Ozdust Ballroom is another example. The choreography isn't just "movie dancing." It’s character-driven movement. Every extra has a backstory. Every costume tells a tale of Ozian social hierarchy.
The Puppet Mastery of the Wizard and the Monkeys
In an age of Marvel-style digital creatures, the decision to use animatronics and puppetry for certain elements of Oz was a bold move. The Wicked behind the scenes NBC special gives us a glimpse into the creature shop. Seeing the mechanical skeletons of the flying monkeys is genuinely creepy.
Jeff Goldblum, who plays the Wizard, fits into this world perfectly. His energy is eccentric, and his scenes involve a lot of practical gadgetry. The "Giant Head" of the Wizard isn't just a screen; it’s a physical prop that the actors actually interact with. This matters because it gives the actors a focal point. Their eye lines are consistent. Their fear or awe feels earned because there is actually something massive and strange in the room with them.
The Sound of Oz
Stephen Schwartz, the legendary composer of the original Broadway show, was heavily involved. The NBC special shows him on set, occasionally tweaking lyrics or working with the orchestrators to expand the soundscape. For the film, the orchestra is massive. We’re talking about a scale that a Broadway pit could never accommodate. They’ve added new musical motifs that bridge the gap between the songs, making the whole movie feel like a continuous operatic experience rather than a "song-stop-dialogue" format.
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Misconceptions About the Two-Part Split
One of the biggest complaints fans had when the movie was announced was the decision to split it into two parts. People thought it was a cash grab. However, the Wicked behind the scenes NBC footage makes a pretty compelling case for the split.
If you try to cram the entire story of Wicked into two and a half hours, you lose the world-building. You lose the political subtext of the Talking Animals and the rise of the Wizard’s authoritarianism. By splitting the film, Chu has room to breathe. The special shows scenes at Shiz University that simply aren't in the stage play. We see more of the relationship between Elphaba and her sister, Nessarose. We see more of the faculty.
Basically, Part One is the "Shiz and Emerald City" story, ending exactly where you think it does—with that iconic flight. Part Two will handle the "Witch Hunt" and the tie-ins to the Wizard of Oz story we all know. Seeing the sheer volume of footage they shot makes the two-movie decision feel less like a corporate mandate and more like a creative necessity.
Actionable Insights for the Ultimate Viewing Experience
If you’re planning on watching the movie after seeing the Wicked behind the scenes NBC special, here is how to actually appreciate the technical craft you just learned about:
- Watch the Background: During the Shiz University scenes, don't just look at the main actors. Look at the architecture and the extras. Those are real costumes and real sets. The level of detail in the "background" Oz is where the budget really went.
- Listen for the Live Vocals: Pay attention to the scenes where the characters are moving a lot while singing. You can hear the slight imperfections and breathiness that come from live performance, which adds a layer of emotional vulnerability you won't find in a studio-perfect recording.
- Identify the Practical vs. Digital: Try to spot the 9 million tulips. Knowing they are real changes how you perceive the color palette of the film. It’s more vibrant because it’s reflecting actual sunlight, not just digital lighting.
- Re-read the Book (Maybe): The movie actually pulls more from Gregory Maguire’s original novel than the stage play did in certain spots. The NBC special hints at a darker, more political tone in some scenes, which aligns with the book’s exploration of "Wickedness."
The special was a smart move by NBC and Universal. It bridged the gap between the "theater kids" and the general movie-going public. By showing the dirt, the sweat, the real flowers, and the vocal struggles, they humanized a project that could have easily felt like a cold, CGI product. It reminds us that at the end of the day, even a story about a flying witch is made by people standing on ladders, sewing buttons, and planting seeds.