How Old Are Elphaba & Glinda In Wicked

Warning: Contains POTENTIAL spoilers for Wicked.

The 2024 movie Wicked is centered on the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, two iconic Wizard of Oz characters whose relationship begins long before the original story. Portrayed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Elphaba and Glinda will come to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, respectively. However, given their extensive history in the Oz universe, viewers may have understandable questions about exactly how old the characters are.

Wicked is based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, and the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The film is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, following Elphaba and Glinda as students at Shiz University, while the cast of Wicked includes the likes of Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Historically, the actors who portray Elphaba and Glinda in the play have been in their 20s or 30s. However, when it comes to the characters themselves, the question of age is a little more complex.

Elphaba Is 20-21 Years Old In Wicked

Elphaba Is Starting University In Wicked

Neither the novel nor the musical states exactly how old Elphaba is at the start of Wicked. However, since the story of Wicked follows Elphaba throughout her university years, many estimate that she is around the age of 20 when she starts school. This is slightly older than people typically start university, but a lot of the common customs in the world of Oz are unclear.

Elphaba Thropp arrives at Shiz University in Wicked and immediately stands out because of her green skin. Elphaba is the main character of the story and will lead the revolt against the Wizard of Oz. The story of Wicked takes place over the course of a few years, with the musical featuring a two-to-three year time jump after Act 1. Therefore, Elphaba is believed to be 23 or 24 at the very end of the story. Since the Wicked movies are also telling its story in two parts, it is likely that it will follow the musical's structure and also feature a time jump between the films.

Glinda Is 20-21 Years Old In Wicked

Glinda And Elphaba Become Unlikely Friends

Glinda Upland, who will eventually be known as Glinda the Good Witch, is the most popular person at Shiz University. Since Glinda is one of Elphaba's classmates, they are around the same age. Therefore, Glinda is also believed to be around 20 years old at the start of the story, and will be 23 or 24 in Wicked Part Two.

Related

Every Wizard Of Oz Character Who Appears In Wicked

Wicked includes many characters from the original Wizard of Oz story, but their arcs are reframed to reveal more about the complex politics of Oz.

As seen in the Wicked trailer, Elphaba is assigned as Glinda's roommate at the university, which Glinda is not happy about at all. However, Elphaba and Glinda eventually form a close friendship, which becomes more and more complicated throughout Wicked's story. While Glinda's role was only minor in the Wicked novel, her relationship with Elphaba will be central to the story of the film.

How Old Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande Are Compared To Their Wicked Characters

Erivo And Grande Are Both Older Than Their Wicked Characters

While Elphaba and Glinda are both university students, the actors who usually portray them in the musical are usually in their mid-to-late 20s, with many even being in their 30s. In the case of the Wicked movie adaptation, both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are in their 30s. Erivo is 37 years old and Grande is 31.

While Erivo and Grande are many years older than the characters they are playing in Wicked, it is very common for actors to play characters who are much younger. Erivo is best known for her role as Celie Harris Johnson in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, and Grande is one of the most popular singer-songwriters in the world. Therefore, both Erivo and Grande are known for their singing voices, and will surely do justice to the songs featured in Wicked.

Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Director Jon M. Chu

Release Date November 22, 2024

Runtime 160 Minutes