Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose in the fantasy movie, discusses revisions made to the script in response to critiques of the representation of disability in the musical.
- December 3, 2024
AceShowbiz - Marissa Bode, who portrays Nessarose in the "Wicked" movie, has revealed alterations made to the script to address concerns regarding disability representation. Previously, the stage musical depicted Elphaba's desire to remove her green skin and Nessarose's plea for the Wicked Witch to utilize magic to heal her disability.
In the movie, Bode emphasizes a shift in focus away from "fixing" disability. "We're focusing on the magic in general and the magic of the story," she explains to PEOPLE. This change aligns with the actress's own advocacy for authentic representation.
Bode, who is a wheelchair user herself, believes that "having someone who is authentically like them" gives disabled individuals a sense of visibility and validation. She hopes that the revised script will set a precedent for future projects to embrace inclusive casting.
Despite progress, Bode acknowledges that representation for disabled people remains limited. "There hasn't been as much as I think there should be personally," she says. "But if you really want to, and if you really actually ask the right questions to disabled people, there's a way to make, maybe not everything, but a hell of a lot of things accessible."
"Wicked: Part Two" is scheduled to hit theaters on November 26, 2025, and fans are eagerly awaiting the resolution of Nessarose's storyline, particularly in light of the script revisions Bode has hinted at.
