One query that has been on many followers’ lips within the lead-up to the discharge of Depraved For Good was simply who could be taking part in Dorothy within the movie.
Anybody who has seen the stage musical Depraved is aware of that Dorothy, the enduring character from The Wizard Of Oz, does play a task within the story, though the character by no means really seems on stage.
It’s a operating bit that Dorothy is rarely seen, though she is spoken to off stage, and seems in silhouette kind – and this development is basically adopted within the large display screen adaptation.
For the previous 12 months, Matilda actor Alisha Weir had been closely rumoured to be taking part in Dorothy after she walked the pink carpet on the first movie’s premiere in November 2024.
Alisha already has loads of expertise in musical theatre each on stage and on display screen, and would have additionally been the proper age to play Dorothy. She even fuelled the hypothesis when she refused to verify or deny whether or not the rumours about her taking up the function had been true.
Nonetheless, it’s now been revealed that it’s really Bethany Weaver who performs the character first made well-known by Judy Garland within the new display screen musical.
Bethany is an English choreographer, dancer and actor who skilled at The Urdang Academy in London. She appeared in numerous theatre productions, together with Rumi the Musical and Damaged Wings the Musical, in addition to choreographing the West Finish musical play Asmahan.
Though Bethany has not but spoken immediately in regards to the thrilling casting information, What’s On Stage claims her Highlight casting web page has been up to date to incorporate each the unique Depraved movie (through which Dorothy seems for a couple of seconds throughout its introduction) and its sequel.
In line with members of the press who’ve seen Depraved For Good, Bethany seems for simply over a minute on-screen, however has no dialogue, and her face is at all times obscured.
Director Jon M. Chu has a really particular motive for protecting Dorothy’s face hid within the movie.
“I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with,” he instructed Folks, including that the brand new movie “is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, and [Dorothy is just] a pawn in the middle of all of it”.
Elphaba herself, Cynthia Erivo, additionally approves of hiding Dorothy’s face and believes it helps preserve the legacy of the unique movie. “I think that’s such a wonderful thing to do because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy they know,” she instructed Empire.
Ariana Grande additionally spoke to Empire about Glinda’s relationship with Dorothy, admitting her character isn’t useful to the younger lady with regards to giving instructions to the Yellow Brick Street.
“I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy,” she instructed the journal. “There’s a lot going on, and she doesn’t really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn’t. That’s a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her,” she added.
Depraved For Good hits cinemas on Friday 21 November.
