‘Wicked’ director on how fatherhood helped shape story about bravery, resilience: ‘I want to have value’
Director Jon Chu sees filmmaking as a portal, a way to transport viewers to another world while allowing them to experience something extraordinary and deeply human.
“I love to make something that sweeps you to another place or brings you into a place you've never been, whether that's food or smells that engross you, so you can go on a journey with another planet or to another place on this planet, and into a culture that you may not have seen,” the 45-year-old “Crazy Rich Asians” director told The Christian Post.
“Then, we take the mask off of those places, and you see humanity through the difficult things, not the things that you have to push through. I really believe that, as optimistic as I am … it’s the hard things that we have to be ready to go through, that by the end of the movie, [you’re taken] back home; we walk you through the darkness into the light. To me, that's what a movie is supposed to do. Have a great piece of entertainment, you come out inspired, or see the world in a better light, even if it's not perfect.”
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Chu, who recently welcomed his fifth child into the world, told CP it’s this philosophy that has guided his career and shaped his latest blockbuster film, “Wicked.” The film, a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” explores the untold story of Elphaba, the “Wicked Witch of the West,” and Glinda, the “Good Witch.”
The candy-colored story reimagines Glinda and Elphaba as former best friends whose lives intersected while they were both studying magic at school, Shiz University. The film, rated PG, is an adaptation of the 2003 stage musical "Wicked," which is loosely inspired by Gregory Maguire's adult-themed novel, and features classics like “Defying Gravity,” “Popular” and “For Good.”
Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked” opened in theaters on Nov. 22, raking in a staggering $114 million to top the domestic chart, according to Box Office Mojo. From Universal, part two of ‘Wicked” will hit theaters a year from now.
In Chu’s hands, “Wicked” serves as a story of transformation, resilience and redemption; a film about the universal struggle to belong, to be seen, and to embrace one’s power. At its core, it’s a story about judgment, how society views those who are different and how those individuals rise above the labels thrust upon them.
Elphaba, the green-skinned protagonist, faces relentless ridicule and exclusion, while the silencing of Oz’s animals mirrors real-world issues of oppression and marginalization. The film also examines relationships in all their messy, transformative glory, particularly the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda.
“Their dynamic is a reflection of what happens when two vastly different people are forced to coexist,” the California native explained. “It’s like technology today — suddenly, we’re all roommates in this digital space. We’re learning how to deal with each other’s quirks, and it’s not easy.”
“In a weird way, we have to figure out how to get along, and that process can take a long time, but the only way out is through. The only way is to listen to each other. The only way is to understand,” he said.
Despite these deeper themes, Chu credits the humor of “Wicked” for keeping the story accessible.
“Some people are scared of earnestness and compassion … in fairy tales,” he said. “But of course, the humor helps. Humor is the road, and I do think that having Ariana Grande be that representative of the humor.”
“Her magical power is her influence — convincing people, commanding attention. But that kind of power comes with its own challenges. What happens when the approval she craves isn’t enough? That’s her journey.”
The director said that since first becoming a father seven years ago, he’s sought to create projects that hold meaning and value. Fatherhood, he told CP, allowed him to see “Wicked” through a new lens.
“Being a director is very selfish,” he reflected. “You're like, ‘My vision, my art bubble button,’ and that's fine for maybe a time in your life. But then when you have children, you're like, ‘What are the stories that affected me so much, that made me paint a vision of what the world is, so that I could navigate it?’
“Sometimes, our simplified fairy tales are great for a certain period of time, but generations need to get ready to be able to be brave right now. Bravery is standing up, for your voice to be heard. Resilience, and self-reliance, those things are what I would love my my family to know. I try to teach them, ‘I can't give you courage in a bottle … you actually have to do the scary thing first, and you earn your courage after.’”
Chu, who is working on a version of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” for Amazon, said he hopes “Wicked” not only entertains audiences but also encourages them to reflect on the push and pull of darkness and light in their own lives.
“With a movie like this … I try to make it as fun and delightful as possible so we can all have a great experience,” he said.
“But at the end of the day, maybe life isn't a fairy tale. Maybe there is no happy ending. The beauty of life is that it's a constant to be continued, that you get tomorrow, and every day you get to choose whether you're going to be wicked or you're going to be good. Some days you might be wicked, and some other days your friends might be wicked, and you might need to give them a little grace and forgive them for those things. That's the process that it takes to get better. But at the same time, you are a negotiation of those two things every day of your life. I hope this movie represents that idea, but ultimately that we can do extraordinary things together when we actually work together.”
“Wicked” is now playing in theaters nationwide.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
