Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo recreated the iconic ‘Wicked’ poster, and we need to talk about the ‘Shrek’ comparisons

The highly anticipated movie adaptation of Wicked, directed by Jon Chu, is almost here! It’s set to hit theaters on November 22, and the cast is ramping up their promotional efforts. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are leading the charge, stepping into the beloved roles of Glinda and Elphaba, respectively.

Over the past year, Grande and Erivo have been seen everywhere together—attending red carpet events, giving interviews, and even enjoying tennis matches. They’ve fully embraced their characters from the stage musical, showing how much they respect the original Broadway production and how meaningful it is for them to bring this Tony-winning show to the big screen.

Their latest homage to the Broadway version is a new movie poster that mirrors the iconic one from the 2003 musical. In this poster, Glinda, dressed in all white, is seen whispering to Elphaba, who has a wide-brimmed witch hat that hides her eyes, leaving only her green skin and signature red-lipped smile visible.

However, not all feedback has been positive. Original fans of Wicked can be pretty critical, and they didn’t hold back their opinions on social media. One major complaint is that Erivo isn’t wearing red lipstick in the poster. Instead, her lips are a darker shade of green, which fits her character in the movie but disappointed some fans. They also feel that her expression doesn’t capture Elphaba’s famous smirk well—her face barely shows a half-smile.

Grande, meanwhile, is facing fewer critiques, even though she’s sporting a completely different outfit. Some fans have noted that their attempt to recreate the original poster seems “off,” pointing out the significant differences in their headpieces as another example of this mismatch.

Unfortunately, some comments have taken a nasty turn. People have compared Erivo’s green look to Shrek, questioning whether she’s attractive enough for the role of Elphaba. It’s pretty common nowadays for any green-skinned character to be likened to the beloved animated ogre, but the jokes have crossed a line into more serious, hurtful comments that come off as thinly veiled racism.

The comments about Erivo vary in tone but share a common thread that many Black actresses have faced before, undermining their talent and value. Some critics are suggesting that she doesn’t fit the role because of her looks and labeling the film as “another DEI flick,” which is a derogatory term implying it’s just a diversity effort.

This kind of racist backlash isn’t new; we saw it with Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid, and sadly, it likely won’t be the last time it happens. Despite being an incredibly talented actress and singer with a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy to her name, many people can’t seem to accept Erivo as their version of Elphaba.

What’s often overlooked is that Elphaba’s struggles in Wicked—being ridiculed and persecuted for her skin color—actually reflect the real-life experiences of many Black women who stand up against societal norms. The people of Oz use Elphaba as a scapegoat, choosing to ignore the darker realities around them. Yet, some fans insist on a white Elphaba simply because the first actress to play her on Broadway was white, which is an outdated perspective.

Despite the ugly comparisons and racism, a lot of excitement surrounds the film, and it’s not just about Ariana Grande’s singing. Fans of Erivo are confident that her incredible talent and powerful voice will shine on the big screen, leaving audiences captivated by her performance.