New ‘Wicked’ Featurette Offers A Look Behind the Scenes

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are showcasing their exceptional vocal abilities in the highly anticipated Wicked movie through an ambitious artistic choice — performing all their songs live on set. A newly released featurette gives audiences a glimpse behind the scenes, where both stars can be seen singing directly during filming rather than lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks.

The behind-the-scenes footage offers fans a preview of the production process, including vocal warm-ups and performances of the musical’s beloved songs like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.” Director Jon M. Chu reveals that while pre-recording and lip-syncing are standard practice for movie musicals, the decision to record live vocals wasn’t immediate. “These are some of the best singers in the world,” Chu explains in the teaser, citing this as the key factor in choosing to capture live performances throughout the entire film. Erivo adds that singing live enhanced their emotional connection to the lyrics.

Watch the featurette above. Wicked is set to hit theaters on November 22.