Fellow Ozians! After rumours and speculation, innuendo and outuendo, Wicked director Jon M. Chu has finally shared his thoughts on ‘Gelphie’.
In December, GAY TIMES was invited to Napa Valley, California, to spend ‘One Short Day’ in the Emerald City and sit down with Chu to talk all things Wicked ahead of its home release on 3 January 2025.
Since its release in November, the blockbuster has reignited conversations around Oz’s legacy, with fans reflecting on the powerful relationship between Elphaba and Glinda – affectionally dubbed ‘Gelphie’. (It even birthed a few of the internet’s greatest memes of 2024.)
When asked if he’s holding space for the box office hit being dubbed “the gayest blockbuster in history,” Chu responds with a giggle.
“Listen, I’ll take whatever they want it to be. It’s no longer mine, which is what I love about movies” he says. “We get to make a timeless piece that people get to take and do whatever they want with.”
Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship has been the subject of thrillifying online discussion, especially after Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande themselves voiced their support for ‘Gelphie’ in a now viral interview with GAY TIMES.
Even Broadway icon (and original Glinda) Kristin Chenoweth joined the conversation. In response to Grande calling the beloved character “queer”, the Tony winner wrote: “I thought so too way back when….”
Reflecting on the dynamic between the two witches, Chu says: “The relationship is very intimate, it’s beautiful. And I think that that’s what a real friendship feels like, as intimate or not intimate as you want it to be.
“I don’t always understand the magic that’s happening. I’m just there to capture it and lean into the things that intrigue me the most, or awaken something in me.”
However, for Chu, it’s not about prescribing meaning, it’s “for the audience to then take it and make it ‘Gelphie’ or whatever they want. To me, that’s kind of the point.”
As fans eagerly anticipate Elphaba and Glinda’s arc in the upcoming Wicked: For Good (previously known to the world as Wicked: Part Two), Chu teases what’s to come. “Get ready!” he says, hinting at breathtaking performances from Erivo, Grande, and the internet’s boyfriend, Jonathan Bailey.
We can expect “tear the roof off” renditions of fan-favourites ‘No Good Deed’ and ‘As Long As You’re Mine’, which promise to showcase the cast’s immense talents.
“Just wait,” Chu adds. “I’ve given you too much. I cannot say too much. Other than… I’ve seen both movies back-to-back already, and I love it. I love it so much.”
Sadly, us regular folks will have to wait until November 2025 before we get to see the story unfold.
Beyond the technicolour spectacle and powerhouse ballads, Chu hopes the Wicked home release will offer something deeper – a glimpse behind the emerald curtain.
Bonding over our shared childhood love for ‘Making Of’ documentaries and DVD extras, he says: “To me, not having access to film school at that time, this was like my film school. I’m just glad that we get to share this stuff on home video.”
Chu is excited for fans to dive into the documentary, deleted scenes and featurettes: “More people will understand, watching a deleted scene, why we cut a scene.
“They may not agree. And there’s plenty of things that I struggled with, but they understand. I think people appreciate it in a different way. So I’m excited for that.”
Of course, we’re GAY TIMES, we are queer media, so we had to ask about Oz’s longstanding queer legacy.
Chu remains reverent. “I think it’s not my place to say what I think about the history of Oz in there. I will say the spirit of this community, of building real culture in this community, reflects our real world.” He hopes the film will open conversations on “what beautiful is,” “what love is” and “what a hero looks like.”
“We hoped in this that we would create a fairy tale for 2024 that would last forever. And those things are just normalised, that they’re not even a point in the thing. It just is the way life is. And that’s how we see life.”
In a world too often divided, Wicked stands as a reminder of the transformative power of friendship, allyship and acceptance. For Jon M. Chu, that’s where the true magic lies.
Wicked is available to buy or rent at home now.
Watch our full interview with Jon here or below.
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