Are Elphaba and Glinda gay?
Since Wicked first debuted on Broadway (and, arguably, many decades before that), fans have been shipping the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North.
Their tense opposites-attract dynamic is all there. The song “What Is This Feeling?” begins almost as if describing a mutual schoolgirl crush.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are weighing in on their characters’ sexualities. And so is the OG Wicked Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth.
Fans have theorized that Glinda is gay for many years
Wicked is out in theaters. Even among Broadway musicals, Wicked has a particularly strong following within the LGBTQ+ community.
So it is only natural that Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the theatrical adaptation, and Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, would chat with Gay Times on the topic.
As you can se in the video below, neither shied away from suggestions that their characters’ friendships — and animosity — had an undercurrent of romantic love.
“I think Elphie, she goes wherever the wind blows,” Cynthia described of her verdant character.
She added: “I think she loves Glinda. I think she loves love.”
Cynthia then emphasized: “And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating the deep connection that both of them have.”
‘It is true love’
“They do have a real relationship,” Cynthia went on to emphasize about the Wicked OTP, Glinda and Elphaba.
“It is true love, which is probably why people are shipping it, you know?” she suggested.
Cynthia then affirmed: “Because what they build with each other is an unbreakable bond and love.”
“And trust and truth,” Ariana Grande chimed in.
“Just such a safe space for one another, which is what all relationships should be,” she expressed. “Whether it’s romantic or platonic.”
Delving into her character’s sexuality, Ariana commented: “Glinda might be a little in the closet. You never know! Give it a little more time.”
Ariana isn’t the only Glinda actor to suggest that she’s gay
Kristin Chenoweth, who portrayed Glinda in its original Broadway run, replied to E! News‘ Instagram post that shared part of the aforementioned discussion.
“I thought so too way back when …” the Broadway legend commented.
Truth be told, Elphaba and Glinda have a story that makes more sense if you see the gay undertones of mutual yearning — and frustration.
Obviously, not everyone will agree that Glinda is gay.
First of all, some folks do not want to see clear relationships. There are people who watch X-Men movies and don’t see them as Professor X and Magneto making their divorce everyone’s problem. There are people who think that Xena and Gabrielle were just very good friends.
Also, to be fair, there are many excellent adaptations of The Wizard of Oz. The Glinda in NBC’s short-lived but excellent Emerald City is not the same as the Wicked version who is not the same as the Glinda who debuted in Technicolor nearly a century ago.
Just another prime example of love is love.