Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo weren’t the only celebrities who wanted to defy gravity.

As 'Wicked' prepares to cast its spell over the box office, we look at how portrayals of witches on screen have evolved to become symbols of female empowerment and an embracement of otherness.

Elphaba's sister Nessarose is dubbed the 'Wicked Witch of the East' by the Munchkins. Picture: Universal Pictures via YouTube When Elphaba arrives in Munchkinland seeking refuge, Nessarose refuses ...

Long since they were burned at the stake, witches have become ingrained in pop culture partially thanks to their portrayals in film and television. 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” taking after ...

The movie follows the musical and book's plot where Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, didn't start out wicked. She was ostracized in Oz for her green skin tone from an early age.

And Hamilton's witch was the clear departure point for Gregory Maguire's 1995 book "Wicked," basis for the play and the upcoming "Wicked" movies. Maguire named her Elphaba — LFB — after "Oz's ...

The book is a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Elphaba, the name of the Wicked Witch of the West, is derived from the original creator’s initials.

Long before the new movie Wicked made a sympathetic character of the Wicked Witch of the West, she was played by actress Margaret Hamilton in the classic film, The Wizard of Oz.

As 'Wicked' prepares to cast its spell over the box office, we look at how portrayals of witches on screen have evolved to become symbols of female empowerment and an embracement of otherness.

Goth pop star King Mala channels her inner ‘desert witch’ in new LP May 22, 2025 Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo perform ‘Wizard of Oz,’ ‘Wicked’ songs at the Oscars ...

“As a result of her Otherness,” Burger concludes. “the Wicked Witch can — and, in fact, must — be destroyed.” By 1939, however, her Otherness was symbolized by her odd skin color.