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Wicked — which was first a novel, then a stage production, and now a film — is a story about animal rights as much as it is a retelling of the life of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. So, it seems appropriate that the new film’s two lead actors are both plant-based.
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Ariana Grande, who plays witch Glinda the Good, and Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, or the Wicked Witch, each gave up eating animal products years ago.
Grande has been a vegan since at least 2013. “I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding,” Grande told The Mirror that year. “I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-round happier person.” The singer and actor is known for being a vocal animal advocate and has reportedly adopted at least 10 rescue dogs.
Erivo ditched animal products in 2018, as she found it was the healthiest option for her body. The award-winning singer and actor also loves to exercise and works out every day.
Wicked’s animal rights message
In Wicked, animals can talk and are integrated in society. Elphaba’s nanny during childhood is a bear, who offers her kindness where her family rejects her because of her unusual green skin. One of Elphaba’s professors at university is a goat.
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But things start to change, and it becomes clear the government of Oz wants to imprison animals and take away their voices. Elphaba makes it her mission to fight this injustice.
Prejudice and oppression are big themes in Wicked, showing how they affect people as well as animals. The clear depiction of animals as thinking, feeling — and speaking — and their imprisonment as wrong has received praise from animal rights organizations including PETA and World Animal Protection.
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