How thrillifying that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the Oscars ceremony with a efficiency of songs from “Wicked.”
On the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, the 2 Oscar-nominated stars handled audiences to a musical historical past of Oz onstage and onscreen.
Grande first delivered a moonlit rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” which Judy Garland famously sang as Dorothy within the film “The Wizard of Oz.”
Erivo then belted her model of “Home” from the 1975 Broadway musical “The Wiz,” initially carried out by Stephanie Mills onstage and by Diana Ross within the 1978 movie adaptation.
Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande carry out on the 97th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Occasions)
The 2 then joined fingers to reprise a bit of “Defying Gravity,” their finale duet from “Wicked.”
As soon as Erivo sang Elphaba’s iconic warfare cry, attendees within the auditorium gave the duo a standing ovation — with Michelle Yeoh and others even wiping away tears — and the media room exploded with cheers and applause.
Common’s big-screen tackle the blockbuster musical was nominated for 10 awards, together with the performances of Erivo and Grande as lead actress and supporting actress, respectively, in addition to for greatest image, costume design, manufacturing design, movie modifying, sound, make-up and hairstyling, visible results and authentic rating.
Cynthia Erivo carried out on the 97th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Occasions)
Set earlier than Dorothy’s arrival in “The Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked” facilities on the 2 ladies who turn out to be Glinda the Good Witch and the Depraved Witch of the West, and the change of their friendship when society pits them in opposition to one another.
Jon M. Chu directs the two-part adaptation of the Stephen Schwartz stage musical, based mostly on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, L. Frank Baum’s 1900 fantasy novel and the 1939 movie adaptation.
The primary movie has grossed $728 million on the international field workplace, making it Hollywood’s highest-grossing movie adaptation of a Broadway musical. The second film, titled “Wicked: For Good,” hits theaters on Nov. 21.
Ariana Grande carried out on the 97th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Occasions)
Cerys Davies, Religion Stafford and Kaitlyn Huamani contributed to this report.
