Chu’s prequel and origin story — based on the long-running Broadway musical which debuted in 2003 — she’s Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), a shy, misunderstood young woman born with special powers and a viridescent tone.

"Wicked," Jon M. Chu's musical adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, defies the odds – and, yes, gravity.