SPOILER ALERT: This story comprises spoilers for “Depraved,” now enjoying in theaters.

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth have discovered their approach again to Oz. Broadway’s unique witches make a shock look in director Jon M. Chu’s “Depraved,” however not as Elphaba and Glinda.

The duo, who originated the main roles in 2003, sing a brand new verse in “One Brief Day,” telling the story behind the great Wizard of Oz. Their characters battle for the highlight within the Emerald Metropolis, prompting Menzel’s character to close down the competitors by belting out her well-known “Defying Gravity” riff.

Composer Stephen Schwartz additionally cameos because the Ouncessoldier who permits Elphaba and Glinda into the Wizard’s palace, whereas the musical’s e-book author Winnie Holzman equally seems within the Emerald Metropolis, touting the Wizard’s potential to learn the Grimmerie.

Clad in over-the-top pink and purple poofy attire, Menzel and Chenoweth every share a candy second with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who tackle the roles they made well-known.

“It was so surreal. It was actually extraordinary,” Grande tells Selection of sharing the display with the Broadway legends. “I imply, to have the ladies who helped write and create and beginning these characters embrace us and embrace our variations of them, was simply so extremely surreal. I imply, they’d been texting us, they usually had been supportive of us beforehand, however I don’t assume they ever bought to see or hear our variations of the characters till on set. So it was actually emotional.”

Grande beforehand starred in NBC’s 2016 “Hairspray Stay!” with Chenoweth, who has praised her casting as Glinda the Good in quite a few interviews. “I’m undecided if I’ve ever been this proud,” Chenoweth posted on social media on the time of Grande’s casting in 2021. “From the very first day I met you … you had been destined for this function.”

Menzel has been equally effusive of Erivo, telling ET, “She’s simply unbelievable. I really feel like she’s the one handy the torch off to. You’re gonna love her.” Menzel and Erivo additionally offered an award collectively on the 2024 Tony Awards earlier this yr. “I’m simply gonna go off script actual fast to say how excited I’m to see what I do know goes to be an incredible efficiency in that film you’re doing,” Menzel stated on stage. “Inexperienced woman energy!”

Marc Platt, who produced each stage musical and the movie diversifications, says he’ll always remember the day the duo filmed their cameos. “I feel when Kristin and Idina got here onto the set, there was a lot love and respect from the film solid, significantly Ari and Cynthia and Jon Chu — nearly like they had been royalty! That they had grown up listening to those two girls sing, and also you felt that sense of awe, and in addition legacy,” he says. “After which Kristin and Idina, the place equally, in awe of those two youthful girls making these roles their very own.”

“There’s a second the place Idina fixes my hat and sends me on my approach. Attempting to not be cliche, it was just like the passing of the broom nearly,” Erivo says. “So to have nearly just like the blessing from the queen herself, felt actually, actually stunning.”

Platt says that Menzel and Chenoweth initially had reservations about showing within the film for worry of stealing Grande and Erivo’s thunder. “Each the women, Kristin and Idina, had been just a little bit nervous about it. Kristin jumped in fairly fast, as a result of she and Ari had had a relationship and he or she was excited,” he says, including that Menzel “didn’t need to rain on something that needed to do with Cynthia. She thought, ‘That is her second. I would like her to have her second.’”

A bit convincing from Platt was all it took to alter their minds, although. “I stated, ‘Each of you’re going to need to contact the movie. You’re a part of the “Depraved” lore endlessly.’ And since we discovered an natural approach which Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman wrote to have them within the movie as a part of the storytelling, ‘You’re going to need to be a part of one thing that’s larger than you, and so for the remainder of your lives, you’ll at all times be a part of “Depraved,” even within the movie.’ And so they each stated, ‘Okay, you’re proper.’”

“I used to be so honored that they needed to incorporate us,” Chenoweth tells Selection. “I assumed, ‘Ought to we? Is i it bizarre, as a result of it’s [Ariana and Cynthia’s] now?’ And Mark Platt stated, ‘It’s a must to. What do you imply? It wouldn’t occur with out you!’”

“Idina and I had a lot enjoyable,” she provides concerning the emotional day she and Menzel filmed their cameos. “Our costumes had been superb, and we simply made up our factor. We simply had one of the best time ever. We did it in someday, and to be reunited with my with my sister was very, very particular.” Chenoweth says she and Menzel arrived to the set early and bought dinner to catch up: “We had fun there. Elphie and Glinda grew up!”

Chenoweth additionally says she’s thrilled the honored musical has lastly made its technique to the massive display so a broader viewers can uncover the magical story. “I’m so completely happy they made the film, as a result of I grew up in Oklahoma, and it wasn’t like we may have afforded to go see a Broadway present: dinner, lodge, all that stuff. And now we’ve the film, and will probably be dropped at new generations of those who perhaps are in the identical boat as I used to be. I’m actually proud.” 

“Kristin and I’ve seen one another many instances within the final 20 years, but it surely was great,” Menzel says of the reunion. “It was great to be there, to get all of the feels, to rehearse collectively, to considerably echo our characters just a little bit, to be with Cynthia and Ari and simply form of benefit from the set in a completely completely different approach. It was all the things.”

For Erivo, Menzel and Chenoweth’s assist (on and off set) has been a supply of consolation and inspiration as she’s put her personal spin on the enduring function of Elphaba. “They’ve been actually great with us, and we’ve had essentially the most unbelievable phrases of encouragement from each of them,” she says. “These issues actually imply so much to us, as a result of they don’t must. It’s theirs from all this time, however for them to spare these good phrases and to provide us the area to additionally do what we need to do with them as properly, is admittedly significant, actually touching.”

Platt hopes that Menzel and Chenoweth’s involvement speaks to the enduring legacy of “Depraved” as a brand new fanbase discovers the beloved musical. “I feel all of us becoming a member of becoming a member of arms felt like there’s one thing larger than all of us, and that we’re a part of one thing that will dwell on past all of us,” he says. “The power to hitch these two worlds, the stage world of the unique and the movie world, significantly for these 4 ladies, was one thing nobody will ever neglect who witnessed that night time of taking pictures. It was actually stunning.”