Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey’s Passionate Scene Removed From “Wicked: For Good”
A passionate Kiss Scene Was cut from “Wicked: For Good.” Just when you thought the drama in Oz was limited to witches and wizards, the creators of “Wicked: For Good” dropped a bombshell about a scene that almost changed everything for Glinda and Fiyero.
Why The “Wicked: For Good” Scene Was Cut
In a move that’s got fans buzzing, screenwriter Dana Fox revealed that a “passionate” kiss between Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero was cut from the film. Why? Because it would have made their love triangle with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) way too messy, and frankly, nobody wanted to hate all three main characters in “Wicked: For Good.”
Let’s be real, turning the beloved musical into a two-part epic was already a massive undertaking. Splitting a story that flows so perfectly on stage means you have to add new material to justify the runtime. Fox and co-writer Winnie Holzman were tasked with expanding the second act from a tight 45 minutes on Broadway to a full-length feature film.
Their solution? Dig deeper into the relationships, especially the one that sits at the heart of it all: the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. But as they fleshed out the story, they ran into a little snag with the romance. A scene was filmed where Glinda and Fiyero shared a kiss that was described as “too passionate.”
The problem? If their connection felt that real, it would make Fiyero’s ultimate choice to be with Elphaba seem like a cold-hearted betrayal. And nobody wants that. Fox told Deadline, “It was romantic and beautiful, but a little too passionate. “Seeing that made it too hard to watch him make the choice he makes to be with Elphaba and made it too hard to make it OK that Elphaba ran off with him. It was too real that he and Glinda were actually feeling something together.”
What Other Changes Were Made for “Wicked: For Good?”
This decision shows a surprisingly sharp understanding of character dynamics. In the film, Glinda announces her engagement to Fiyero without him even knowing. It’s a classic Glinda move—all for show. Had they shared a truly passionate kiss, it would have undermined the entire narrative.
The writers wisely realized that the emotional core of “Wicked: For Good” isn’t a traditional love triangle, but the profound, life-altering bond between two women who change each other forever. Fiyero is a crucial part of their story, but he’s not the story. It’s a bold move to keep the emotional core in the movie intact.
The movie doesn’t dive too deeply into the relationship between Fiyero and Glinda. Entertainment Online reported Fox saying, “It was like a feeling that he really did love her—which he does care about Glinda a lot, don’t get me wrong. But he likes her in a different way.” Why? Because, as Fox put it, the movie’s stars needed to be on-screen together more.
It was a bold move that initially caused “gasps across the earth” on their Zoom calls, but it ultimately served the story by keeping the focus on the central friendship. Another powerful addition is the emotional confrontation between Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero after he abandons his life to save Elphaba.
Final Thoughts
By making these thoughtful adjustments, the filmmakers ensured that “Wicked: For Good” wasn’t just a rehash of the stage show. They created an adaptation that stands on its own, diving deeper into the characters we love and delivering an emotional punch that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. And hey, if that meant sacrificing one little kiss to save the integrity of an entire story? We’d say that was a pretty smart trade.
