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‘Wicked: For Good’ revives an uncomfortable debate about bodies and images

Wicked

A new big movie is coming out (Wicked). This movie is Wicked: For Good. It is the second part of the story Wicked. People are very excited to see it. It is based on a famous stage musical.

But the movie is starting a big argument. This argument is an uncomfortable one. It is about bodies and looks. This is about how Hollywood shows people. It is about being seen as “normal” or “different.”

The original story is very clear. It is about two young women. One is Elphaba. Her skin is green. The other is Glinda. She is very popular and pretty. The whole story is about how they look. It is about how the world treats them because of their looks.

The movie brings this old story back to life. It makes us look at our own rules. We must look at our own rules for beauty.

The Heart of the Original Story Wicked

The story of Wicked is very important. It has a powerful message. This message is about difference and acceptance.

Wicked

Elphaba: The One Who Is Different

Elphaba is the main character. Her skin is bright green. She is judged for this. People treat her badly. They are scared of her. They call her “Wicked”. This is only because she looks different. She is smart and good inside. But no one sees that. They only see the green skin.

The story teaches us a lesson. It teaches us that looks do not matter. This teaches us that being different is okay. It teaches us that judging people is wrong.

Glinda: The Perfect Look Wicked

Glinda is Elphaba’s friend. Glin is seen as perfect. She is blonde. This is popular. She is the star student. Everyone loves Glinda because she looks like a princess. She fits the world’s idea of beauty.

But the story shows Glinda is not perfect inside. She has to learn to be a better friend. She has to learn to see past Elphaba’s green color. The musical is a mirror. It shows how society treats people based on how they look.

The Movie Casting and the New Debate Wicked

The new movie has brought the debate back. The people who got the main parts are very famous. They are talented singers and actors. But their casting started the argument.

Casting Elphaba

The actress playing Elphaba is Cynthia Erivo. She is an amazing singer. It is a great actress. She is very powerful. When she sings, everyone listens.

But people started talking about her look. Some people said she is already seen as “beautiful” by Hollywood. The argument is about making her look “ugly” enough. The original story needs Elphaba to look very different. The audience needs to see her as an outcast. An outcast is a person who is rejected.

Casting Glinda

The actress playing Glinda is Ariana Grande. She is a famous pop star. She is known all over the world. This is often seen as the picture of modern beauty. She is very thin. She is glamorous. Glamorous means attractive and exciting.

The argument here is simple. Glinda is supposed to be the “perfect girl.” Casting a huge pop star who fits the modern beauty standard perfectly highlights the problem. It highlights the problem the story tries to fix.

Wicked

The Uncomfortable Beauty Standards Wicked

The core of the debate is about Hollywood beauty standards. Hollywood is the movie industry. It decides what people think is beautiful.

The Hollywood Mold

Hollywood often uses a very narrow mold. A mold is a shape or standard. Most stars look very similar. They are often thin. They often have clear skin. This is the mold of “pretty.”

  • No Real Difference: The argument is that the movie must show a real difference. It must show a difference that is not just skin color. It must show a difference that society rejects.
  • Making Difference Pretty: People worry that the movie will try to make Elphaba’s green skin look too pretty. They worry the makeup will be too perfect. They worry the clothes will be too fashionable. If Elphaba looks “beautiful, just green,” the story’s powerful message is lost. The message is that you can be good even if you look scary.

If the movie makes both characters fit the beauty mold, the whole story falls apart. It stops being about judging people and starts being about fashion.

Body Representation

The debate is also about body size. Hollywood usually shows very thin people as lead stars.

  • Relatability: Some people argue that the movie should show different body types. This would make the characters more real. It would make them easier to relate to. Relate to means to connect with.
  • The Pressure: Young people, especially young girls, watch these movies. They see the stars. They feel pressure to look exactly like the stars. This movie had a chance to show a wider range of bodies. But many people feel it missed that chance.

The Role of Makeup and Special Effects

In movies, makeup is very important. It is used to change how people look. For Elphaba, the green makeup is key.

Perfect Green Skin

The movie production used many talented makeup artists. They used special effects and new techniques.

  • Too Perfect? Critics worry the green skin will look too smooth. They worry it will look too much like a special effect. They worry it will not look real. If it looks too perfect, it does not look like a curse. It looks like a fun choice.
  • Losing the Outcast Look: The story is about Elphaba being ugly to the world. If the movie makes her look simply green and gorgeous, the feeling of being an outcast is gone. The feeling of being rejected is gone.

The way the green color is used will be a main point of discussion. It will decide if the movie is just a spectacle or a real story. Spectacle means a big, fancy show.

CGI and Filters Wicked

The movie also uses CGI. CGI is computer graphics. It is used to create special images. Movies also use filters. Filters make actors look smoother and younger.

Wicked
  • Unreal Looks: Some critics worry that the movie will use too many filters. They worry it will make the actors look unreal. This happens often in modern movies. This makes the beauty standard even harder to reach for real people.
  • The Story’s Power: The whole point of Wicked is to be real. It is to be about hard things. Using too much fake polish takes away the story’s power. Polish means making something look perfect.

Impact on Young Viewers

The debate is most important for young viewers. Children and teens love the story of Wicked.

The Message of Self-Worth

The stage musical is a powerful tool. It helps young people feel good about themselves.

  • Accepting Yourself: It teaches them that they are good enough just the way they are. They do not have to be Glinda. They can be Elphaba. They can be different.
  • Comparing to Stars: When famous, perfect-looking stars play the parts, the message changes. Young people start comparing themselves to the stars. They see the stars’ perfect bodies. They think they must look like that to be a hero.

The movie must handle this message carefully. It has a duty to be honest about the story’s deep meaning.

The Power of Movies Wicked

Movies are huge. They reach millions more people than a stage show. The impact of the movie’s look will be massive. It will teach a whole new generation about beauty. It will teach them about being accepted. If the movie makes Elphaba “pretty,” it changes the definition of “ugly.” It changes the definition of “outcast.”

This is why the debate is uncomfortable. It forces Hollywood to look at its own rules. It forces Hollywood to ask: “Is our standard of beauty too narrow for even our own stories?”

Elphaba And Glinda

The upcoming movie Wicked: For Good has brought back a necessary debate. This debate is about bodies and images in Hollywood. The story is a classic. It is a classic because it challenges how society judges people based on their looks. Wicked

The casting and the use of special effects risk weakening this message. People worry that the movie will make both Elphaba and Glinda too perfect. If Elphaba’s green skin is too pretty, the feeling of being an outcast is lost. The argument that Hollywood beauty standards are too narrow is strong. Wicked

The hope is that the film will keep the heart of the story. The heart of the story is about acceptance and true worth. It is about being good even if you are different. The movie must remember its duty to teach young people this powerful lesson. Wicked

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