15 Things We Learned About Wicked From Director Jon M. Chuβs Commentary
Go behind the scenes of Oz with the hit musical's new home release.
"Wicked" director Jon M. Chu has heard criticisms of the movie's visuals, and he's brushing them off.
"I think the movie is absolutely gorgeous," Chu told Business Insider in a recent interview.
Chu's film, which adapts the first act of the Broadway musical, takes on the difficult task of bringing the world of Oz back to the big screen after the 1939 technicolor classic "The Wizard of Oz," and not everyone was impressed. Some online have criticized the film's color grading as well as its use of backlighting (where actors are lit from behind), particularly in the "Dancing Through Life" library sequence where sunlight is streaming through large circular windows.
"There's a color of the rainbow in every frame of this that evolves through the movie," he said.
"I love the aesthetic, and I love that it doesn't feel like we're on a back lot, that there's actually life, that there's environment, and that it's not perfect, that you see scratches and dust," Chu added.
Chu has championed the film's use of natural light, and backlighting, in previous press appearances. In a behind-the-scenes interview with Vanity Fair about the "Dancing Through Life" sequence, he said that production designer Nathan Crowley's library design allowed for natural light β something that he praised the film's director of photography, Alice Brooks, for taking advantage of.
"Things that people would be scared of, like backlighting, is actually what I love about her stuff," Chu told Vanity Fair.
The director told BI that he enjoyed "atmosphere" in film that called back to works like "ET" and "Searching for Bobby Fischer," which he called one of his favorite films. Ultimately, he wanted to put viewers "inside" the world of Oz.
"To me, it was like putting Oz in a world that was natural and beautiful, but didn't take away from the spectacular color and grand landscapes," he said.
Chu also told BI that he was heartened to see fans pick up on details in the film, like Ariana Grande's ad-libbed lines in "Popular," after seeing it in theaters. Now, with the film available to view at home (and part two on the way), he said was happy viewers would be able to watch deleted scenes from the film.
"This movie has been amazing because people have gotten so close to, and watched it, so many times that they're picking up on the things that we pick up in the edit room," Chu said. "I feel like they're all in the edit room with me, and now I get to show them all the secret footage."
"Wicked" is now available to purchase or rent on digital.
Film franchises dominated the worldwide box office this year.
This year's top-performing movies included animated films, superhero fare, a Godzilla and Kong team-up, and a return to Arrakis.
Keep reading to see which 15 movies came out on top at the box office in 2024.
All box-office numbers and Rotten Tomatoes scores on this list are current as of December 27, 2024, and are subject to change.
Worldwide gross: $350,986,018
Reported production budget: $25 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 55%
The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel "It Ends With Us" was one of the biggest surprises at the 2024 box office.
In less than two weeks in theaters, the movie surpassed $180 million at the box office globally β a tremendous feat for a project that was reportedly financed for just $25 million. It's possible that fans of the book and those aware of the reports of a rift between Blake Lively and costar and director Justin Baldoni were intrigued by "It Ends With Us" and wanted to see what all the hype was about.
Worldwide gross: $370,962,265
Reported production budget: $155 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 75%
After the box-office success of the rom-com "Anyone But You," Glen Powell continued his hot streak in Hollywood starring alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones in the stand-alone sequel to the 1996 disaster movie "Twister."
"Twisters" surpassed box office predictions, earning $32.2 million from release day and preview screenings and scoring a solid $80.5 million during its opening weekend.
Worldwide gross: $397,378,150
Reported production budget: $160 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 80%
Although "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is one of the top-performing movies of the year, it earned the lowest global total compared to the three other films in the rebooted "Planet of the Apes" franchise.
Worldwide gross: $404,544,199
Reported production budget: $100 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 65%
Two years after his infamous slap at the Oscars, Will Smith made a comeback and regained box office glory with the fourth installment in the action-comedy franchise "Bad Boys."
"Ride or Die" was a hit domestically and overseas. In its opening weekend, the movie topped the global box office, making over $100 million and overperforming in key markets.
Worldwide gross: $406,644,901
Reported production budget: $250 million to $300+ million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 71%
"Gladiator II," didn't win over critics as much as Ridley Scott's epic 2000 film "Gladiator," though many agreed that it delivered plenty of thrilling action sequences.
The sequel fell short of the first "Gladiator" movie at the box office too, grossing $100 million less β though still bringing in an impressive haul to end up on this list.
Worldwide gross: $451,100,435
Reported production budget: $100 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 76%
Nostalgic sequels don't always equate to success, but Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" was a slam dunk for Warner Bros.
Executives initially wanted the sequel to the 1988 "Beetlejuice" movie to forgo a theatrical release and head straight to streaming. But Burton disagreed. So they cut costs to lower the budget and justify a theatrical release β and it paid off.
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" earned $41.5 million from release day and preview screenings, becoming the second-biggest opening day ever for a September release, after 2017's horror movie "It." The movie is also one of Burton's most commercially successful films.
Worldwide gross: $476,368,152
Reported production budget: $120 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 41%
Sony's films about Spider-Man-adjacent characters don't have a great track record. But the "Venom" franchise, starring Tom Hardy, has become a fan favorite among the more disappointing and flat-out cringy movies. However, the third and final installment was the worst-performing "Venom" film at the box office.
Worldwide gross: $547,689,492
Reported production budget: $85 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 71%
The fourth "Kung Fu Panda" film, starring Jack Black as the voice of the panda named Po, earned the franchise's lowest critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes but racked up $26.5 million more than 2016's "Kung Fu Panda 3."
Worldwide gross: $571,750,016
Reported production budget: $135 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 54%
"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," centered on the titular gargantuan creatures teaming up after being enemies in 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong," rocked the box office.
"Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" surpassed box office projections in its opening weekend and became the second-biggest debut for Warner Bros. and Legendary's shared MonsterVerse franchise.
With $571 million earned globally, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" is now the highest-grossing movie in the Monsterverse.
Worldwide gross: $586,301,620
Reported production budget: $150 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 88%
Jon M. Chu's film adaptation of the wildly popular stage musical of the same name was a critical and commercial success.
"Glicked," the combined name for the rivalry between "Gladiator II" and "Wicked," was this year's version of the 2023 "Barbenheimer" phenomenon. In the battle between gladiators and witches, the latter was the clear winner. "Wicked" earned a higher Rotten Tomatoes score and has grossed over half a billion at the global box office, so far.
Despite not being explicitly advertised as such, "Wicked" is the first in a two-part franchise. The sequel, "Wicked: For Good," hits theaters in November 2025.
Worldwide gross: $714,444,358
Reported production budget: $190 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 92%
Following the success of the 2021 "Dune" adaptation, Denis Villeneuve released a sequel that completed Paul Atreides' (TimothΓ©e Chalamet) journey from Frank Herbert's first "Dune" novel.
Hailed by critics as a "sci-fi masterpiece," the 2024 sequel was rated higher and grossed $300 million more worldwide than "Dune: Part One."
Worldwide gross: $820,990,553
Reported production budget: $150 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 61%
"Moana 2" didn't make nearly as big a splash in pop culture as the original film did with catchy songs like "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome." The sequel also had a drastically lower rating on Rotten Tomatoes than "Moana," which landed a 95% critics score.
Regardless, "Moana 2" performed much higher at the box office and was a clear win for Disney. The movie even broke Thanksgiving box office records, racking up $380 million globally at the time.
Worldwide gross: $969,126,452
Reported production budget: $100 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 56%
Since the first "Despicable Me" movie was released in 2010, the franchise has been lucrative for Illumination Entertainment and Universal Studios.
The fourth installment fell short of earning $1 billion, which "Despicable Me 3" achieved in 2017. "Despicable Me 4" also received the lowest critics score of all the movies on Rotten Tomatoes.
Worldwide gross: $1,338,073,645
Reported production budget: $200 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 78%
Some recent entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have received middling reactions from fans and critics alike, but the success of "Deadpool & Wolverine" indicates that perhaps the superhero slump might be over.
The third installment of the "Deadpool" franchise earned a lower critic score on Rotten Tomatoes than the previous two movies. But the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team-up surpassed the global earnings of its predecessors and is one of two films released in 2024 to hit $1 billion at the box office.
After less than 30 days in theaters, "Deadpool & Wolverine" dethroned Todd Phillips' 2019 film "Joker" to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.
Worldwide gross: $1,698,765,616
Reported production budget: $200 million
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 91%
"Inside Out 2" fully surpassed expectations, grossing $155 million domestically and $295 million worldwide in its debut three-day weekend. The "Inside Out" sequel also earned the second-biggest domestic opening ever for an animated movie, following "Incredibles 2." It ended up being the highest-grossing film of 2024.
Giant sandworms! Singing witches! Horny tennis players! The best movies of 2024 offered a wide array of cinematic pleasures β and a double dose of Zendaya.
Below are Business Insider's best movies of 2024. Scroll to the end to see entertainment correspondent Jason Guerrasio and senior editor Caralynn Matassa's personal top five movies of the year.
Almost twenty years after director James Mangold gave us the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," he's returned to the space with a look at Bob Dylan's transition from acoustic to electric.
As much as the music will dazzle Dylan fans, it's the acting that's the highlight. TimothΓ©e Chalamet delivers one of the best performances burgeoning career, getting Dylan's voice and mannerisms down perfectly. β Jason Guerrasio
Sebastian Stan gives one of two standout performances this year in "A Different Man." The surreal, twisty psychological thriller follows Stan as Edward, an introverted, struggling actor with neurofibromatosis (a disorder causing facial differences) who is cured through an experimental procedure. Reinventing himself as "Guy" doesn't quite give him the dream life he'd hoped for, though.
The darkly comic film from writer-director Aaron Schimberg also features great supporting performances from Renate Reinsve (who had her breakthrough in 2021's "The Worst Person in the World") and Adam Pearson as Oswald, a confident and charismatic man who also has neurofibromatosis. β Caralynn Matassa
For this latest trek back into the sci-fi world of "Alien," director Fede Γlvarez takes full advantage of the IP by weaving a story that touches on the original movie and the world of "Prometheus." The result is a thrill ride that will satisfy fans of the franchise and scare the hell out of the newbies who have never seen an "Alien" movie. β JG
Sean Baker made a name for himself as one of the most acclaimed independent filmmakers, and for good reason. He excels at slice-of-life movies (2017's "The Florida Project" and 2021's criminally underrated "Red Rocket") that spotlight marginalized communities.
His latest, "Anora," centers on the titular sex worker played by "Scream 5" standout Mikey Madison. The film landed the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor, thanks to Madison's subtly powerful performance and Baker's propulsive script. β CM
It shouldn't come as a shock that the most polarizing movie of the year was one about Donald Trump's rise to power as a New York City real estate tycoon.
But take away your political views and opinions on Trump (which, I know, is hard), and this movie from director Ali Abbasi is a fascinating exploration of how those with power and influence move through the world.
And then there are the performances by Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as Trump's fixer and mentor Roy Cohn, both of which should be recognized during award season. β JG
Nicole Kidman gives one of the best and boldest performances of her decadeslong career in "Babygirl." The erotic thriller, written and directed by "Bodies Bodies Bodies" filmmaker Halina Reijn, puts the female gaze on a distinctly male, often-problematic genre, tackling female sexuality, gender, and power dynamics as Kidman's Romy Mathis, a high-powered CEO, pursues a secret affair with her intern (Harris Dickinson). β CM
I wasn't expecting a "Beverly Hills Cop" sequel made on Netflix to give me some of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments this year, but that's exactly what happened.
Director Mark Molloy certainly understood the assignment: lean in to what made the first two movies so beloved (let's not talk about the third one).
Focusing on Eddie Murphy's jokes, big action sequences, and that memorable soundtrack, the fourth movie in the franchise became one of the surprise delights at the movies this year. β JG
One of the boldest epics made in some time, this three-and-a-half-hour drama shot on VistaVision is an exquisite exploration of one immigrant's drive for the American Dream in post-World War II America.
Directed and co-written by Brady Corbet ("Vox Lux"), "The Brutalist" follows fictional character LΓ‘szlΓ³ TΓ³th (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jew who survives the Holocaust and emigrates to the US in the late 1940s. Over three decades, TΓ³th, a talented architect, struggles to make a living and get his wife (Felicity Jones) to the States. Then a wealthy man (Guy Pearce) changes his life.
With masterful production design, photography, score, and performances, this is a movie that will stay with you long after you've seen it. β JG
Zendaya dazzles in Luca Guadagnino's sporty, steamy drama.
As a former tennis great thrust into a love triangle with two other players, her now-husband Art (Mike Faist) and her ex-boyfriend Patrick (Josh O'Connor), Zendaya delivers one of the most layered performances of her career as she navigates love, lust, and mind games. β JG
Alex Garland's latest showcases a United States that has been ravaged by civil unrest.
Kirsten Dunst is magnificent as a hardened war journalist in an existential crisis who travels from New York City to Washington, D.C. to cover the story. The war scenes are brutal and devastating, but that's the point. β JG
Ralph Fiennes leads a drama filled with Shakespearian-level mystery, backstabbing, and intrigue as the Cardinal-Dean in charge of the papal conclave. In the process, he finds himself investigating scandals and secrets as the choices narrow for who will become the next pope.
Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini are also outstanding in supporting roles. β JG
After a bevy of delays that included Fox being bought by Disney, COVID, and the strikes by the writers and actors in Hollywood, we finally got the third "Deadpool" movie. And it was worth the wait.
From the brawls with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), the endless Disney IP jokes, and a fight with countless Deadpools, the movie is the rare payoff for fans of superhero movies in the post-"Endgame" era of the MCU. β JG
Denis Villeneuve's continuation of his adaptation of Frank Herbert's beloved sci-fi novel takes us back to Arrakis, where Paul (TimothΓ©e Chalamet) goes from the hunted to the hunter as he teams with the Fremen to fight his enemies and becomes a Messiah in the process.
Like the first movie, the visuals are stunning, but the sequel also features more Zendaya as Paul's love interest, heightening the stakes by the end. β JG
Though "The Fall Guy" underperformed at the box office, David Leitch's love letter to stunt performers is one of the most enjoyable movie-watching experiences of the year.
A big reason for that is the performances from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, whose chemistry as they navigate an on-and-off relationship while coping with movie-making madness is off the charts. β JG
George Miller's latest trek into the Wasteland may not be as jaw-dropping as his magnum opus "Mad Max: Fury Road," but the auteur of action still dazzles with breathtaking shots of desolate sandy vistas and ultra-violent car chases.
The major highlight is Anya Taylor-Joy as Imperator Furiosa (originally played by Charlize Theron in "Fury Road"). With very little dialogue, Taylor-Joy must use facial expressions and a multitude of stunts to convey her character's origin story and complex emotional arc. It's well worth the ride. β JG
Twenty-four years after the Oscar-winning original, Ridley Scott returns to the Coliseum with a new star (Paul Mescal) and bigger fights. The result is an enjoyable mix of blockbuster thrills and nostalgic callbacks to the first movie.
But what sets "Gladiator II" apart is Denzel Washington, whose devilish, scenery-chewing performance as a gladiator owner with plans of getting his hooks into the Roman Senate elevates the movie whenever he's on the screen. β JG
The song "We Are The World" brought together the greatest musicians in pop and rock, but the story of how it came together makes the song even more remarkable.
This Netflix documentary from Bao Nguyen features never-before-seen footage and candid interviews recounting a single evening in Los Angeles that would become a defining moment for pop culture in the 1980s.
The documentary is replete with fascinating details about how the song and its ensuing celebrity spectacle came to be. From seeing how Michael Jackson created the hook to watching musicians like Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis give it their all recording long into the night, "The Greatest Night in Pop" is a must-see for anyone who lived through or loved the '80s music scene. β JG
On a surface level, Pansy Deacon, the lead character of "Hard Truths," isn't someone you'd root for. She's a deeply depressed, angry middle-aged British woman who takes her fury out on anyone and everyone around her, from fellow shoppers at the supermarket to her own browbeaten husband and adult son.
The film starts out almost comically, as Pansy finds every imaginable reason to rant and rave at everything from babies with pockets (what do babies need pockets for anyway?) to the salesperson attempting to help her buy a couch. Marianne Jean-Baptiste infuses Pansy with so much heart and deep-seated pain that you can't help but feel for her, even as you're horrified by her behavior.
Writer-director Mike Leigh's unique filmmaking process (he and his cast start off without a script and collaboratively develop the characters) results in one of the most stunning performances of the year. β CM
Hollywood is still trying to perfect this generation's high school movie. "Incoming" gets pretty close.
Following a group of friends who are the only freshmen invited to a party thrown by a senior, this raunchy comedy uses staples from the high school genre and mixes them with today's culture to concoct a hilarious movie. β JG
After a lot of confusion and frustration within the walls of Pixar over its COVID-era release strategy, the beloved animation house is having a much-deserved big-screen resurgence thanks to "Inside Out 2."
In the sequel to the Oscar-winning 2015 original, we catch up with Riley's key emotions like Joy (Amy Poehler) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) right when Riley hits puberty. And just like that, new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) show up wanting to be in control of Riley's feelings.
The movie is a funny and emotionally charged journey that highlights those impressionable years when we can no longer lean on our parents to make the right choices; it's now on us. β JG
Beyond having the most brilliant marketing campaign of the year, "Longlegs" is also genuinely freaky.
Osgood Perkins channels "Silence of the Lambs," mixed with devil worship and possessed dolls for good measure, for a crazy genre mashup: a police procedural horror movie. Maika Monroe gives an understated performance as traumatized FBI agent Lee Harker, who's investigating a series of murder-suicides that all point back to one mysterious figure: Longlegs.
The eventual reveal of what's going on β and the physical reveal of Nicolas Cage's Longlegs, a noteworthy entry in the actor's list of batshit roles β is disturbing and memorable. β CM
Pamela Anderson gives a career best performance as an aging Las Vegas showgirl who must come to terms with losing her job when her revue abruptly closes.
Anderson holds nothing back as she plays a character who still is intoxicated by the glitz and glamour of the strip of yesteryear but comes to the harsh realization that show business has nothing left for a woman her age.
Ironically, after decades in the limelight, this is the role that is finally getting Anderson the recognition for her acting that she deserves. β JG
Originally planned as a TV series, Disney made the right move by turning this instead into a feature-length sequel to the beloved 2016 original.
This time, Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) must defeat an evil God who controls an island so that all islands across the sea can be reconnected.
The higher stakes, new characters, and catchy songs make the movie a worthwhile continuation of a story audiences couldn't wait to return to. β JG
Some viewers criticized RaMell Ross's bold decision to shoot "Nickel Boys," an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2019 novel, in a first-person point-of-view, where we see through the eyes of the character speaking. To that, I politely say: You're wrong, sorry.
The immersive filming style works perfectly to put the audience right in the mix as Elwood and Turner, two Black boys sent to a reform school called the Nickel Academy (based on an actual school in Florida), struggle to survive amid the racist institution's many often deadly abuses.
Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson give a pair of breakout performances as Elwood and Turner, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is devastating as Hattie, Elwood's devoted grandmother. It's a tough watch, but a worthy one. β CM
Looking back on the work of Robert Eggers, his obsession with telling stories set long ago has led up to this: an adaptation of the iconic gothic vampire tale.
With exquisite production design, makeup, and effects to transform Bill SkarsgΓ₯rd into the creature of the night, and a tour-de-force performance by Lily-Rose Depp as a woman overcome by a spell that fills her with desire and fear, this is Eggers' masterwork. β JG
Yep, both of Luca Guadagnino's 2024 releases made this list. "Queer" is a very different film from "Challengers" in many ways, but both cement Guadagnino as a filmmaker with an innate understanding of desire and a master at evoking it onscreen.
Based on William S. Burroughs' 1985 novella, the movie follows William Lee, a gay American expat living in 1950s Mexico City, who becomes obsessively infatuated with the much younger Eugene Allerton. Daniel Craig's no-holds-barred performance as Lee, a stand-in for Burroughs himself, establishes him as one of the most talented and versatile working actors today. It's also gorgeously shot, courtesy of Guadagnino's go-to cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom. β CM
There's always one Netflix movie that comes out of the blue every year and grabs attention. This year, it was "Rebel Ridge."
Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier ("Blue Ruin"), this impressive action movie gives a jolt to the genre with its gritty take. It's also a showcase for Aaron Pierre, who is on his way to big-screen stardom (he also voiced the title character in Disney's end-of-year release, "Mufasa.") β JG
JT Mollner's thriller "Strange Darling" flew under the radar this year, but boy, is it a trip.
The story is told in a destabilizing nonlinear format; it's a clever narrative trick to make you think the movie is something it's not. Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are knockouts as the two leads, keeping viewers transfixed and with our hearts in our throats. It's also beautifully shot by Giovanni Ribisi (yes, the actor) in his feature debut as a cinematographer. β CM
"The Substance" is not for the faint of heart. French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat established herself as a genius of phantasmagoria with her debut feature, 2017's "Revenge," but she takes things up several notches in her follow-up.
The satirical feminist body-horror movie is completely insane, in the best way. It's a disgusting, disturbing, and extremely real fable of female self-hatred that goes off the rails (complimentary) like few movies I've seen before.
Demi Moore grounds it all as Elisabeth Sparkle, a washed-up middle-aged celebrity who's driven to try the mysterious drug dubbed The Substance after being fired from her aerobics show on her 50th birthday. Margaret Qualley is positively demonic as Elisabeth's younger and more perfect self Sue, the product of that black market serum fated to be Elisabeth's downfall. β CM
This summer, we learned that if you mix Glen Powell and tornadoes, you've got yourself a hit.
This sequel to the 1996 hit "Twister" features more GGI-fueled storms and chemistry so hot between Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones that audiences were bummed they didn't kiss at the end β everything you need from a hit summer blockbuster. β JG
I was prepared to be a hater heading into "Wicked." After all, how could someone successfully adapt one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time? After being blown away by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's performances, I'll gladly admit I was wrong.
As the movie's seemingly endless press tour has demonstrated, Erivo and Grande have incredible chemistry as Elphaba and Glinda, two witches who were once best friends before their paths diverged. Erivo is devastating as the lost, deeply lonely but resolute Elphaba, while Grande imbues so many layers into her performance as Glinda. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable movie experience with a showstopping finale, even if it's not the most technically impressive film on this list. β CM
Based on Peter Brown's popular books, "The Wild Robot" weaves one of the most emotional yarns of the year. The movie tells the story of Roz (Lupita Nyong'o), a robot who washes up on a deserted island and learns the ways of the wildlife that inhabits it, leading to her becoming the guardian of an orphaned gosling.
Beautiful to look at, with animation that has a watercolor quality, it's the uplifting story that elevates this movie from an impressive fantasy tale to a work that will be cherished by audiences for years to come. β JG
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship is facing renewed interest amid the release of "Wicked" and a personal essay published by Lilly Jay, Slater's ex-wife.
In July 2023, multiple outlets including People magazine and TMZ reported that Grande, 31, and her "Wicked" costar Slater, 32, were dating. The reports came days after news broke of Grande's separation from her husband, Dalton Gomez.Β
Grande and Slater presumably met through their roles in the two-part film adaptation of the "Wicked" musical. Grande portrays Glinda, the popular girl at Shiz University, and Slater plays Boq, a classmate from Munchinland who has an unrequited crush on her but becomes the love interest of Elphaba'sΒ younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode).
Here's everything to know about Slater.Β Β
For his star turn as the plucky yellow sponge in the 2017 musical adaptation of "Spongebob Squarepants," Slater received several accolades, including a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award win in 2018. He also starred in the Classic Stage Company's production of "Assassins," which ran until January 2021, and has had roles on shows including "Law & Order: SVU" and "Fosse/Verdon."Β
Slater more recently starred in the Broadway revival of "Spamalot," which closed in April after a 24-week run.Β
Shortly after news broke of his rumored relationship with Grande, Slater's Instagram page was made private. When viewed by Business Insider before Slater made the account private, the page mostly featured clips from his past and coming projects, as well as a blurry selfie with his then-wife, Jay.Β
Slater and Jay, a clinical psychologist in perinatal mental health and child development, met in high school and married in 2018. They welcomed their first child together, a son, in August 2022.Β
In People's July 2023 report about Grande and Slater's relationship, a source said that Slater and Jay had separated, though they didn't give an exact timeframe for the separation. TMZ reported that Slater filed for divorce from Jay on July 26, 2023.
Jay later addressed Slater's romance with Grande in an interview with Page Six, calling the singer "not a girl's girl" and saying her family was "just collateral damage" in the controversy.Β
Grande first sparked her own divorce rumors after she was spotted at a Wimbledon match without her wedding ring or engagement ring on July 16, 2023.
A day after the singer was seen without her rings at Wimbledon, TMZ reported that Grande and Gomez had been separated for several months and were "heading for divorce." The couple had been together since 2020Β and married in 2021.
Grande and Gomez simultaneously filed for divorce in September 2023. Their separation date was listed in court documents as February 20, 2023.
Jay recently discussed her and Slater's divorce in an essay for The Cut, published on Thursday. In her essay, Jay avoided directly addressing Slater and Grande's relationship and instead focused on how her highly publicized divorce affected her. She also said that she and Slater continue to co-parent their child.Β
"While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," Jay wrote. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100% of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided. As for me, days with my son are sunny. Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."
Libby Torres contributed to an earlier version of this story.
Lilly Jay, a perinatal psychologist and ex-wife of Wicked star Ethan Slater, has spoken for the first time about their break-up and being thrust into the spotlight.
In July 2023, rumors circulated that Slater was dating Ariana Grande, his "Wicked" costar, leading to Jay and Slater separating (though one source told People that Jay and Slater were already separated when the relationship began).
Jay published an essay in The Cut on Thursday, describing her experience in the aftermath of their divorce, which became official in September. She wonders whether it impacted her career, after she was passed over for a job and canceled on by a client.
Jay and Slater, who met in high school and started dating as college sophomores in 2012, had a son in August 2022. After the news broke of Slater and Grande's relationship, Jay told Page Six that Grande is "not a girl's girl" and that her family was "collateral damage." Since then, she refrained from divulging many details, including in her recent essay.
In her new essay, Jay did not speak directly about the details of Slater and Grande's relationship, including the exact timeline. Instead, she broke down how their very public divorce affected her, and the peace she's had to make with her life being less private since.
Grande and Slater did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comments.
Because "Wicked" was shot in the UK, Jay said that she moved to London with Slater when their son was two months old.
She said that she knew all about how vulnerable marriages are in the early stages of parenthood but still "confidently" moved for Slater's career.
"Consumed by the magic and mundanity of new motherhood, I didn't understand the growing distance between us," Jay wrote.
She feared experiencing postpartum depression and a general loss of control. Then "one day in London, I looked up and found that they had both arrived," she said, brought on by the "sudden public downfall" of her marriage.
The success of "Wicked," which premiered in November, makes it hard to avoid, Jay said. As does the extensive press around it, including a long list of brand collaborations.
Jay said that she still struggles with the reminders. "Days with my son are sunny," she said. "Days when I can't escape the promotion of a movie associated with the saddest days of my life are darker."
Grande has also spoken out about the relationship, referencing Slater in her last album. "It definitely doesn't get any easier," Grande told Vanity Fair in reference to dealing with tabloid rumors. Kristin Chenoweth, who originated Grande's "Wicked" role on Broadway and appeared in the film, also defended Grande. "Nobody ever knows what's going on for real," Chenoweth said.
Jay and Slater are now co-parenting their son, something Slater described as "an interesting thing to navigate."
Jay said they are both fully committed to being there for their child. "While our partnership has changed, our parenthood has not," she said. "Both of us fiercely love our son 100 percent of the time, regardless of how our parenting time is divided."
Despite her unique challenges in early motherhood, Jay said she is optimistic about her future with her son. "Slowly but surely, I have come to believe that in the absence of the life I planned with my high-school sweetheart, a lifetime of sweetness is waiting for me and my child," she said.
Across Jeff Goldblums's 50-year career, he's appeared in some huge franchises, such as "Independence Day" and its sequel, multiple "Jurassic Park" films, and even made a couple of appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But while his movies have made over $5 billion at the box office, not all of them have been enduring classics.
We used Rotten Tomatoes to determine what critics have deemed his career's best and worst films.
Goldblum has been in dozens of films since making his film debut in 1974's "Death Wish" as Freak #1. Not all of them can be instant classics.
"Zambezia," also known as "Adventures in Zambezia," is an animated film that stars Jeremy Suarez as a young peregrine falcon who discovers he lives near a bustling bird city called Zambezia. Goldblum voices a bearded vulture named Ajax.
"In the end, the cast proves to be too big, the storyline too muddled and I was dismayed by the thought that the Disney/Dreamworks style is so ubiquitous that an animation created by a small production house in Cape Town is trying so hard and so slavishly to copy the Hollywood product," wrote Sandra Hall of The Sydney Morning Herald.
"Man of the Year" is a comedy starring Robin Williams. He plays the host of a satirical news show, Γ la "The Daily Show," who decides to run for president after a petition gains traction online. Goldblum plays a sinister executive at the computer company that runs the voting machines.
"Cynicism or stupidity? It's hard to say which has the run of this idiotic satire in which Robin Williams plays a talk-show host who runs for president on a ticket of cleaning up politics," wrote The Guardian's Cath Clarke.
Goldblum stars as Hatch, a husband and father who almost dies in a car crash. At the same time as his near-death, a serial killer attempts to kill himself and the two become connected, with each gaining the ability to see through the other one's eyes.
"It helps, in a movie like this, if the actors are first-rate. Goldblum and [Christine Lahti] transform scenes that in other hands might have simply been laughable," wrote Roger Ebert.
Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. star in this horror-comedy, which follows two tabloid reporters who travel to Transylvania to prove that Frankenstein's monster exists. Hijinks ensue.
"The anti-'Young Frankenstein,' 'Transylvania 6-5000' might be the worst horror-comedy ever made," wrote Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.
"Beyond Therapy" is a film based on the 1981 play of the same name. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty as two single New Yorkers who, at the behest of their respective therapists, put personal ads in the paper to find significant others. They meet and sparks fly.
"There's no special logic at work. The performances are good, but the film has been assembled without an overriding sense of humor and style," wrote The New York Times' Vincent Canby.
Goldblum plays a mob enforcer who's simultaneously dating two sisters, Rita (Ellen Barkin) and Grace (Diane Lane). To make matters worse, Grace is also the ex-girlfriend of his boss, Vic (Richard Dreyfuss), who's currently in jail. When Vic gets out, all hell breaks loose.
Roger Ebert called this "the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time."
Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper star as two psychics who are hired by a treasure hunter to help him find El Dorado, the lost city of gold, in Ecuador.
"'Vibes' stumbles and fumbles and misfires sure-fire one-liners and zany situations; it ends up being both a confused and confusing jumble of half-witted comedy and ridiculous drama," wrote Cathy Burke for UPI.
"Holy Man" is a comedy starring Eddie Murphy as a messiah-like figure only known as G, who is hired to host a show on a home-shopping channel and becomes hugely successful, much to the delight of network employees Ricky (Goldblum) and Kate (Kelly Preston).
"It's a miracle, really: 'Holy Man' diminishes the strengths of everyone and everything it has going for it. Goldblum's manically funny aggression? Sedated. Preston's interestingly hard-edged sexuality? Blunted," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.
"Mortdecai" is a comedy starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, an art thief, swindler, and all-around general conman. When he's hired to help the police track down a stolen painting, he meets Milton Krampf (Goldblum), a potential buyer.
"Every time Depp gave a phlegmy little stammer and jauntily uttered lines like, 'I say, old bean,' I wanted to bop him on the same with a rotten tangerine," wrote David Edelstein for Vulture.
What makes "Perfume," a film about the fashion industry, interesting is that the dialogue was 100% improvised by the stars. It's split into three storylines; Goldblum's part stars Leslie Mann as a designer who is leaving a small fashion house for a huge brand β one that, it just so happens, her latest hook-up Jamie (Goldblum) works at as a talent scout.
"Another attempt to nail the fashion industry, 'Perfume' is more coherent and serious-minded than Robert Altman's mess 'Ready to Wear,' but remains a less alluring creation," wrote Variety's Todd McCarthy.
Goldblum has appeared in some of the highest-grossing franchises in history, including "Jurassic Park," "Independence Day," and the MCU. He's also been nominated for Independent Spirit and Emmy Awards, and he's appeared in multiple best picture nominees.
Here's what critics have ruled his best films.
"Nashville" is director Robert Altman's sprawling magnum opus. It follows multiple characters across Nashville in the five-day period leading up to a campaign fundraiser for a long shot presidential candidate.
Goldblum has a completely silent role; he's credited as "Tricycle Man" and is the connector of the disparate plots in the film.
Writing for The Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington called it "Altman's great kaleidoscopic ensemble comedy-drama about a frenzied few days in country music's capital, with an unlikely, quirky, explosive crowd of musicians, hangers-on and politicos all converging on a fateful concert crossroads."
Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star as a married couple, Nick and Meg, on vacation in Paris. Both are dissatisfied with their marriage, careers, and financial status. Goldblum plays Morgan, an old friend of Nick's who has become a successful writer.
"By its ambiguous yet hopeful end, we're at one with Nick and Meg: Sometimes, you just have to dance. Somehow, you go on," wrote Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times.
"Isle of Dogs" is Goldblum's first collaboration with director Wes Anderson on this list (but not the last). In this stop-motion film, the mayor of the Japanese city Megasaki has ordered the deportation of all dogs in the city to the nearby Trash Island to quarantine them after an outbreak of canine flu. Goldblum voices one of the dogs, Duke, a Siberian husky.
"It's gorgeous β filled with so many bits of visual whimsy and imaginative detail that it would take several viewings to fully catch them all. And it's idiosyncratic and witty and dark," wrote Max Weiss for Baltimore Magazine.
Goldblum's performance as the mathematician and chaos theory expert Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park" is one of his most beloved, most quoted, and most memed.
As we all know, the scientists behind Jurassic Park, a theme park filled with dangerous dinosaurs, were so preoccupied with whether they could bring dinos back to life, that they didn't stop to think if they should.
"The effects have barely aged and the joy is timeless. Take a child who's never seen it and watch their imagination expand before your eyes," wrote Olly Richards for Empire.
The second of Goldblum's collaborations with Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," is a story within a story.
Most of the action takes place at the hotel in the mid-1900s, where a lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), and a hotel concierge, Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), team up to keep a priceless painting in the proper hands after its owner, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), dies.
Goldblum plays Vilmos Kovacs, the Grand Budapest's lawyer and the executor of Madame D.'s estate.
Jason Bailey of Flavorwire wrote, "Just plain fun, full of the filmmaker's signature flourishes and curlicues, worked out with skill and finesse."
A remake of the 1956 film (and the second adaptation of the 1955 novel), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a sci-fi and horror classic. It focuses on two health inspectors, Matthew (Donald Sutherland) and Elizabeth (Brooke Adams), who discover that an alien race has come to Earth and is secretly replacing humans with emotionless doubles.
Goldblum plays Matthew and Elizabeth's friend, Jack, who believes them.
"'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is more sheer fun than any movie I've seen since 'Carrie' and 'Jaws' and maybe parts of 'The Spy Who Loved Me,'" wrote Pauline Kael for The New Yorker.
David Cronenberg's horror classic stars Goldbum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who accidentally becomes entangled with a fly and slowly transforms into a human-fly hybrid.
Time's Richard Corliss called "The Fly" "a gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year's most poignant romance."
Goldblum steals the show as The Grandmaster, the ruler of a trash planet called Sakaar, in "Thor: Ragnarok." Thor (Chris Hemsworth) encounters The Grandmaster after he accidentally crash-lands on Sakaar. He is then forced to participate in a gladiator-esque battle against the Hulk to amuse The Grandmaster and Sakaar's inhabitants.
"Perfectly acceptable as an action movie but inspired as a comedy β which is probably where the 'Thor' franchise should have been aiming from the start," wrote The Atlantic's Christopher Orr.
"Between the Lines" follows the various staff writers at The Back Bay Mainline, an alternative newspaper in Boston, as they prepare to potentially be taken over by a huge parent company. Goldblum plays Max, the Mainline's music critic.
"'Between the Lines' is barely about a newspaper at all, more about a bunch of youngish people whose energies are running out, as American counterculture itself had run their course, with the '80s and its hard-nosed principles about to kick in," wrote Jonathan Romney for Film Comment.
Goldblum's best film is Woody Allen's 1977 rom-com classic "Annie Hall," which every romantic comedy that came after it owes a significant debt. Goldblum has a tiny part in this film as an attendee of a Christmas party who "forgets his mantra."
"'Annie Hall' is bracingly adventuresome and unexpectedly successful, with laughs as satisfying as those in any of Allen's other movies and a whole new staying power," wrote Janet Maslin for Newsweek.
Warning: Some "Wicked" spoilers ahead.
"Wicked," the film adaptation of one of the longest-running Broadway musicals of all time, was understandably a major undertaking.
The movie, directed by Jon M. Chu ("In The Heights"), only tackles the first half of the stage musical in its two-hour and 41-minute runtime ("Wicked" part two is set to hit theaters in 2025). Depicting Elphaba and Glinda's school years and creating the world of Oz required major practical sets, some insurance fears, and of course, lots of green paint.
With a reported $160 million budget, "Wicked" had a stellar opening weekend at the global box office to the tune of $164.2 million. Needless to say, people are loving "Wicked" and all its fun easter eggs.
Here are some of the behind-the-scenes details and filming secrets from the making of "Wicked," part one.
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and the rest of the cast decided to sing live on set, and that's the audio that you hear in the film itself.
In Grande's version of "Popular," she enthusiastically yells "Right!" in response to Erivo's Elphaba finishing one of her sentences. The moment, which is a departure from Chenoweth's delivery on the original cast recording, has gone viral on social media.
Grande, however, didn't remember delivering it on set, she revealed on TikTok.
@arianagrande right ! β‘ @Wicked Movie @Wicked The Soundtrack β¬ original sound - arianagrande
Chu told The New York Times that given that "Wicked's" vocals were recorded live, the production filmed "Popular" with a pianist on set.
Having a live accompanist meant that Grande could play with tempo in her performance, rather than having to adhere to a pre-recorded instrumental track.
Elphaba loops around in the sky during "Defying Gravity" β and Erivo did so herself on set, flying through the air on wires while in costume.
"How can you hire an actor that does their own stunts, amazing acting, sings, and then you integrate all three of those things together and land it over, and over, and over, and over, and over again?" Chu said in a behind-the-scenes video.
In "Popular," there's a moment where Grande swings around on a chandelier. On "The Tonight Show," she shared footage of her doing the stunt with Erivo and a stunt coordinator.
@fallontonight @arianagrande almost kicked a stunt coordinator and @Cynthia Erivo in the face while rehearsing βPopularβ for @Wicked Movie π€£ #ArianaOnFallon #FallonTonight #TonightShow #ArianaGrande #CynthiaErivo #Wicked #Glinda #JimmyFallon β¬ original sound - FallonTonight
"One of our stunt coordinators was standing in the room just to make sure that I didn't break all of my limbs," Grande said. "He was standing in the corner really stoically and bravely, and my foot just kind of almost breaks his face."
In a video uploaded to the "Wicked" Instagram account, Erivo said that she was given the choice to either be painted green, or have the color applied in post-production.
"I wanted to look back at a reflection and see a green woman in front of me. I really wanted for her skin to feel textured. When you look at it, there's freckles, and there's tone, and shade, just like skin should be. She has these green eyes that come from the genetic makeup of who she is, and it isn't just on her, it's in her," Erivo said.
Erivo has multiple piercings in her ears. Rather than cover them up individually, the production team just opted to give her new ears entirely.
"I have a million piercings, so they brought in a prosthetic artist, who created basically a shell for my ears β those aren't my ears!" she told Elle.
The actors told Deadline that they wanted to deliberately build their friendship and "take care of each other," as Grande said.
"The first time we met was at my house," Erivo said. "We sat and chatted for a good few hours β five β and I think we just saw each other immediately. It was really easy. We didn't have to think about it, we were just there and that has continued."
The actors told The New York Times that they each got COVID once on set. For Grande, it was the week before "Popular," Glinda's biggest, mostly solo number. Erivo had it the week before she shot "Defying Gravity," the climax of the first film.
The stars got multiple "Wicked"-themed tattoos, including matching "For Good" tattoos on their palms, poppies on their hands, and hearts on their legs. Each actor also has individual tattoos, such as a broom and hat for Erivo.
The pair gave a tour of their matching tattoos on "The Kelly Clarkson Show."
The wheel setpiece has three different rotating pieces, each with a ladder cutting across the middle. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chu called the set "very dangerous" β to the extent that the production's insurance was not keen on allowing it.
"I wasn't sure they were gonna allow Jonathan Bailey in the tornado wheel because of safety. Which makes sense, because this is, he needs to carry on. We can't injure our Fiyero," choreographer Christopher Scott told EW.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chenoweth and Menzel β the original Glinda and Elphaba βΒ spoke about how they were asked to be in the film.
"We both texted, and she said, 'Have you seen the description of us in the movie?' And it was like, it didn't say 'old, decrepit,'" Chenoweth said. "It said something like that. But then we changed it and we said, 'No, we're not going to be those wise men.'"
"Can't we just be beautiful fairy goddesses?" Menzel said.
"We might have had that one part changed," Chenoweth said. "Just that one."
Chenoweth posted several photos of herself and Grande wearing the matching painted pink jackets on Instagram.
"Leading my babygirl down the yellow brick road," she captioned the post. "I surprised @arianagrande with these jackets on set at @wickedmovie⦠a little physical memento of our 'passing of the wand.'"
"Wicked" is now playing in theaters.