Cynthia Erivo Shares Her Thoughts on the Heartfelt Ending of Wicked: For Good

Cynthia Erivo; Ariana Grande and Erivo in the ‘Wicked: For Good’ movie.
Credit :

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Key Points

• Cynthia Erivo discussed the emotional conclusion of Wicked: For Good at the Elphaba’s Wicked Retreat Airbnb Originals Experience event on December 3.
• She revealed significant lessons learned during the filming of the Wicked movies.
• Erivo portrayed Elphaba alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Cynthia Erivo recently elaborated on the emotional finale of Wicked: For Good during a conversation at the Elphaba’s Wicked Retreat Airbnb Originals Experience event on December 3.

In the sequel to the 2024 film Wicked, the story wraps up with Elphaba, portrayed by Erivo, staging her own demise behind a trap door. Elphaba is seen alongside her lover, Fiyero (played by Jonathan Bailey), who, after abandoning her best friend Glinda (Ariana Grande) at their wedding, is turned into straw by a protective spell. The two characters then walk into the sunset, while Elphaba gives her Grimmerie spell book to Glinda before reconciling in song with a reprise of “For Good.”

The poignant lyrics include Elphaba’s line, “Just look at me / Not with your eyes, with theirs.”

Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in ‘Wicked: For Good’ (2025).

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Reflecting on this intimate moment, Erivo remarked, “Two things are happening in that line. It’s both trying to help Glinda see what’s actually happening, but it’s also a comfort.” She added that Elphaba asks Glinda to perceive her beyond surface appearances, stating, “I think she sees that her friend sees her one way. And I love between the lines when you can say something in a phrase, but so much more is going on.” Erivo emphasized the depth of the line, explaining its significance in both Elphaba’s and Glinda’s journey.

The closing scene of the film features a flashback to Elphaba and Glinda’s college days, as they enjoy a moment in a poppy field, which references the iconic imagery from the Broadway production of Wicked.

Cynthia Erivo at the N.Y.C. premiere of ‘Wicked: For Good’ on Nov. 17, 2025.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Erivo previously expressed surprise at the scene chosen to conclude the two-part film series, stating, “We had shot this wonderful day of moments together [in a field]. [Director] Jon [M. Chu] said he was going to use it somewhere, but he wouldn’t tell me where. Then when I saw the film, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, that’s where it is!’ ”

Chu noted that he hadn’t initially planned the scene’s placement but later recognized its emotional resonance, emphasizing, “It felt like a natural way that you would hang out with a friend. But then once we had it in the can, I was like, ‘Oh, this has got to go at the end of the movie. It’s just such a beautiful moment.’”

During the Airbnb event, Erivo also discussed the major takeaway from her experience filming the movies, which aligns with the core messages of Wicked. “That things aren’t always as they seem, that what you see isn’t always what you get, and that you can expect people to grow and change for better or for worse. And both are okay,” she said.

She described the filming journey as “a long ride” and expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from fans, stating, “I’ve been really overwhelmed by just how supportive people have been and the dialogues that have been started because of it and conversations that have come up.”

Wicked: For Good is currently in theaters.