The Big Picture

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff sits down with
Wicked
stars Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey.
During this interview, Goldblum and Bailey discuss challenging and rewarding sequences, the epic cast, and the lifetime milestones they celebrated as a cast and crew.
Goldblum and Bailey also celebrate their
Jurassc Park
/
Jurassic World
connection!

We’re off to see the Wizard! The wait for the Emerald City is nearly over. With Part 1 of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked releasing this month, it’s time to start brushing up on our “Defying Gravity” renditions and preparing to see Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo bring these two iconic characters from Broadway to the silver screen. To celebrate, Wicked stars Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey sat down with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff to share their magical on-set experiences.

In the movie, Goldblum plays the infamous Wizard of Oz, a role that just feels like it was written for his unmistakable brand of humor and line delivery. Bailey is stepping into the role of Fiyero, a prince Elphaba meets at Shiz University who surprisingly winds up being a big contributor to helping her recognize the power and beauty she possesses when others mock her for her appearance.

During this conversation, Goldblum and Bailey discuss tricky sequences that required real-life magic, and what it was like collaborating with this epic ensemble cast. They also share a few remarkable lifetime milestones celebrated on the set of Wicked, and Goldblum celebrates the fact that he’s in the presence of a fellow Jurassic Park star! You can see the full conversation in the video above or read the transcript below.

Jeff Goldblum Knows “Nothing About This ‘Jurassic Park Rebirth'”
Image via Universal Studios

PERRI NEMIROFF: The first thing I have to say on camera is I’m very happy to be talking about Wicked because it’s one of my favorite things in the world, but also, the Jurassic link that’s happening right now is making me very happy.

JEFF GOLDBLUM: Really? It makes me happy, too.

JONATHAN BAILEY: Doctor to doctor.

GOLDBLUM: Oh boy, you’re a doctor? What kind of doctor are you? I know nothing about this next Jurassic Park Rebirth.

BAILEY: I’m a paleontologist. I’m representing the paleontologists very proudly.

GOLDBLUM: Oh, you’re like Dr. Alan Grant. Like Sam Neill. I see. You know about those dinosaurs. Anyway, we’ll talk about that much. But Wicked, Wicked, Wicked.

Related It Sounds Like the ‘Jurassic Park’ Franchise Is Returning to Its Roots The next ‘Jurassic World’ movie is currently filming.

This ‘Wicked’ Scene Took a “Lot of Magic and Hard Work”
And an excellent choreographer!
Image via Universal Pictures

Jonathan, that “Dancing Through Life” set piece is just A+, phenomenal work. I could sit here and talk about every ounce of it all day. I don’t have that kind of time, so can you isolate the single most challenging piece of that choreography?

BAILEY: Oh, wow. Jumping on to the tornado. In fact, jumping off of it, which is swinging whilst the three wheels are rotating. You know what I’m talking about? A little tunnel, and I was having to run and swing and run and swing.

GOLDBLUM: It was amazing. What a display. Degree of difficulty — 10.

BAILEY: There are a lot of people to thank because they’re amazing experts.

Turning the pages with your feet! And I know from your co-stars that that was real. That’s really you! There are so many moments in that scene where I’m like, “How is that possible?”

BAILEY: Well, thank you very much. It’s a lot of magic and hard work. And Chris Scott, the choreographer, can take all the credit. And Leah, his assistant.

GOLDBLUM: I pitched him today a remake, but in musical form, of My Left Foot. I think you’re so right for that!

BAILEY: Have you got some marbles that I can pop in my shoe? [Laughs]

‘Wicked’ Was a “Dream Come True” for Jeff Goldblum
The actor gushes over his talented co-stars.
Image via Universal Pictures

Jeff, there’s a particular thing in our press notes that I really wanted to follow up on. You were talking about the day you collaborated with Michelle [Yeoh] and Cynthia [Erivo], and you called it a “career pinnacle.” It was making me wonder, what was something extra special about that experience that made it a top-tier collaboration for you?

GOLDBLUM: Being with those people. Michelle Yeoh, a royal, international treasure. Cynthia Erivo — great, magnificent. Real greatness. Ariana Grande, great. All these cast members, and Jonathan, being with them, and trying to do something that we were all passionate about, you can’t get better than that. It’s just a dream come true.

The Cast of ‘Wicked’ Celebrated Lifetime Milestones Throughout Filming
“It was a magical celebration of life.”

This is one of my favorite questions to ask in general, but I especially wanted to ask it here because I feel like in the movie itself, I could feel this being true on set for all of you. I was talking to a director recently who emphasized how special it was for him to see the joy that his cast and crew had on set while telling their story. For each of you, can you isolate the single day of making Wicked that brought you the most joy as an artist?

BAILEY: The cast and crew. Jon Chu has this miraculous ability to sort of horse whisper everyone on set to bring their best, and he does that, also, with the crew. And the respect between cast and crew meant that we were all celebrating together. I remember birthdays and big moments of celebration. I remember Ari’s 30th. She was actually running away from monkeys in the Wizard’s palace.

GOLDBLUM: I think Jon had a baby during the shoot.

BAILEY: He had a baby, actually, halfway through “Dancing Through Life.” It was just as my legs went down… [Laughs] It was the Monday of “Dancing Through Life,” and he had a baby. And he’s just had another one. In fact, he had three babies throughout this time.

What wonderful things to celebrate!

BAILEY: Totally. Imagine being a child of Jon M. Chu, anyway, but let alone knowing that you were born whilst this was coming together.

GOLDBLUM: Totally, totally, totally. It was a magical celebration of life, the whole experience.

I’m happy to hear you had that experience because you’re bringing a big old celebration to a lot of really hardcore Wicked fans.

BAILEY: I’m so glad!

I’m hoping it’s coming across how much I appreciate what you put into this.

BAILEY: Yes, it does!

GOLDBLUM: That’s really moving. That’s really, really exciting.

Wicked soars into theaters on November 22.

Wicked Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman because of her green skin, and Glinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads.Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd Runtime 160 Minutes Writers Gregory Maguire , Winnie Holzman , Dana Fox , L. Frank Baum Studio Expand

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