LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS ARE HERE! 
If you’ve seen the new Wicked film, you may have noticed an increased presence of redheads. We’re going to explore why this is but to give you background about the film, Ariana Grande plays Glinda, a background ab and Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, two contrasting students at Shiz University. They are assigned as roommates and must learn to overcome their differences. The duo is joined by a cast of characters from the Broadway musical, including the beloved Munchkins.
@wickedmovie Welcome to Munchkinland! ✨ #WickedMovie
The residents of Munchkinland have been depicted in various ways throughout the history of the Wicked and Wizard of Oz franchise. In this adaptation, they are all portrayed with red hair. While this choice may seem unconventional, there is a specific reason behind it.
Director Jon M. Chu explained that the distinct visual style was inspired by Boq, the Munchkin character whom Glinda and Elphaba befriended during their time at Shiz University. In Wicked, Ethan Slater, an American actor,ter, and composer, portrays Boq, singer and songwriter. Slater is widely recognized for voicing the role of SpongeBob SquarePants in The SpongeBob Musical. With his naturally curly red hair, Slater’s distinctive appearance served as the inspiration for the design of the Munchkin people.
In a GQ article, Chu said, “We wanted [Boq] to come from a culture, and so we were trying to reinvent what a Munchkin is. In our eyes, Munchkin was not a size. We built the Munchkinland look around him—like this red-haired, fair-skinned character.”
@broadwaydirect The cast of Wicked starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande spoke with the audience after a speical New York screening of the new film. #Wicked #ArianaGrande #CynthiaErivo #WickedMovie #Broadway #Musical #EthanSlater
The history of red hair in the original Wizard Of Oz movie
Wicked and The Wizard of Oz explore the wonderful world of Oz, but they came out 85 years apart. Interestingly, Dorothy, the protagonist of the original The Wizard of Oz film, was portrayed with dark auburn red hair, a choice made to highlight her warmth and youthfulness in the groundbreaking technicolor format. Judy Garland, who played Dorothy, had her naturally dark hair lightened and tinted to achieve this vibrant auburn shade, which complemented the film’s colorful and whimsical aesthetic. This unique touch made Dorothy visually stand out against the fantastical world of Oz, enhancing her role as a relatable yet extraordinary heroine.
Seeing this redhead representation continue and expand in Wicked with a vibrant and creative interpretation of the Munchkins is thrilling. By embracing Ethan Slater’s natural look as the inspiration for Munchkinland, the film celebrates and adds a fresh, unified aesthetic to the franchise’s legacy of individuality while also nodding to the history of redhead representation in Oz.
Have you seen the movie? What do you think of it?
Rock it like a Redhead!
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