Michelle Yeoh on Facing Her Fears in ‘Wicked’ with Grande and Erivo

Michelle Yeoh, celebrated for her role in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, is no stranger to challenging parts. Yet, when it came to her latest project, the musical adaptation of Wicked, she found herself in unfamiliar territory. While the original Wizard of Oz is iconic, Yeoh confessed she had little connection to the world of Oz before a pivotal phone call from director Jon M Chu. He reached out personally, asking her to consider the part of Madame Morrible.

“He called me and he said, ‘I would like you to read the script, I really would love for you to play Madame Morrible’. And I go, ‘OK’.”

Stepping Into the Unknown

Initial excitement soon gave way to apprehension. After reading the script, Yeoh doubted whether she was the right fit for the role.

“I know The Wizard Of Oz very well, but I hadn’t seen the musical Wicked. I call him back, and I say, ‘Jon, my love, it’s a musical, and I don’t sing’. Not properly or professionally or anything like that.”

Chu, however, was undeterred. He assured her that she needn’t worry, convinced she could rise to the occasion.

“So then, typical of Jon, he says ‘don’t worry about it’. I swear to god this guy is a visionary, and he can convince you to do the impossible.”

Despite his encouragement, Yeoh remained uncertain.

“I start mulling over it, going, ‘How can I pull this off?'”

Support from the Cast

It wasn’t just Chu who wanted her on board. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, cast as Elphaba and Glinda, joined the effort to persuade her. The pair reached out directly, urging her to join the production.

“It’s imperative and important that you join us now”.

Even after agreeing, Yeoh’s nerves persisted. She admitted to feeling intimidated by her co-stars’ vocal prowess.

“When I had to sing, I must say, I was terrified. These two girls…”

The sense of imposter syndrome lingered, and the usual first-day nerves didn’t subside as quickly as she’d hoped.

On Set Challenges

Filming brought its own set of anxieties. Yeoh felt her singing abilities were not quite up to the standard set by Erivo and Grande.

“Bloody hell! They sing live! Cut me some slack, please! When we started my song [‘The Wizard And I’] with Cynthia Erivo, I was literally squeaking.”

The cast, renowned for their talent, proved rather daunting. The press tour has been filled with odd tales, from unusual incidents on the yellow-brick-carpet to matching tattoos among the cast. For Yeoh, it was a lot to take in, especially when not clad in the signature pink or green costumes. She managed to hold her own, but it seems unlikely she’ll be seeking out another singing role in the near future.