Cynthia Erivo is opening up about Elphaba’s viral “sex cardigan” in the movie Wicked: For Good.
During the “As Long As You’re Mine” scene, Elphaba brings Fiyero back to her home and they make love to each other. For the scene, she’s wearing a woolly cardigan and lingerie underneath.
“The idea was to shoot the song with all of her armor on, with the hat and the coat and the cape. And I thought a couple of things. One, why, if she was in a space that was her own, where she felt the most safe and comfortable, would she still be in her armor?” Cynthia told Deadline. “And two, when do we have an opportunity to see her green from head to toe? When do we get to be reminded that it’s not just makeup? I know that there have been conversations about her seducing and all of that, but honestly, that’s just not the case.”
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Cynthia added, “We find out way before this moment that Fiyero loves Elphaba, and that he sees something in her that is different from what other people see. All I really wanted was for everyone to see her as someone vulnerable, soft, sometimes awkward and anxious. Someone who doesn’t [always] necessarily believe in herself.”
“I just wanted to present an opportunity to see this character where everybody, at this point in the film, have seen Elphaba as the strong, fighting woman who is the Wicked Witch as someone who could actually, when on her own, be the opposite, when comfortable enough to be so,” Cynthia said. “That’s what that was. I just wanted something that removed the armor for a second, while, yes, showing you a more sensual, more connected side of her. The aim was not to turn her into a sexual object, but instead a softer human being worthy of being loved and having an intimate moment with someone.”
The costume designer for the movie has also talked about the cardigan.
Also pictured: Cynthia walking the red carpet at the Kirk Douglas Award Tribute event during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Thursday (December 4) at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara, Calif.
She was joined at the event by Wicked director Jon M. Chu.
FYI: Cynthia is wearing a Danielle Frankel dress and Marco Bicego jewelry.
