Wicked's Unsmudgeable Green: Jon M. Chu on the Symbolism Behind Elphaba's Makeup

What if touching green skin felt completely normal? For Wicked: For Good director Jon M. Chu, ensuring Cynthia Erivo’s green Elphaba makeup didn't transfer onto her co-stars was more than a practical choice—it was a crucial piece of storytelling. In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Chu revealed the deep symbolic reason it was so important that the green paint never rubbed off.

Removing the Fear of Touch

"It was actually a big thing for me, to make sure that the green paint was never going to rub off," Chu told Entertainment Weekly. He worked with hair and makeup head Frances Hannon to ensure Erivo's co-stars could touch her without the inherent hesitation of getting their hands or costumes dirty. "That had to be off the table," Chu said. The goal was to make everyone, both on set and in the audience, comfortable with the idea of green skin, reinforcing the movie's message of acceptance.

Perfecting an Intimate Moment

This detail became particularly vital for the "As Long As You're Mine" sequence, a key moment of intimacy between Elphaba and Jonathan Bailey's Fiyero. "When he takes off her cape and touches her skin, [it was clear] that he's not afraid to touch green skin," Chu explained. The non-transferable makeup allowed the actors to fully commit to the moment, making the connection feel authentic and uninhibited.

The symbolism comes full circle at the end of the film when Fiyero appears as the Scarecrow. The team opted for practical burlap prosthetics that still allowed Bailey's natural brown eyes to show through, creating an immediate connection. "I just love that Cynthia reaches out and touches his face in the way that they do it in the forest in movie one," Chu concluded, noting that the practical effects made the scene feel real. "You can watch every moment of that scene and it is really happening to them."