Marissa Bode she’s been acting for years, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t get nervous.
The 25-year-old actress, who plays Nessarose Thropp in the upcoming evil sequel, explained Us Weekly exclusively that she is “anxious” for audiences to see her perform her song, “The Wicked Witch of the East,” in Evil: For good.
“I’m really, really nervous, especially because I know a lot of people are expressing their love for this song,” Bode said while appearing at the JAMS Clubhouse at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. “It’s not on the original Broadway album, I think, and it’s on this (soundtrack), so there’s a lot of pressure, for sure.”
The powerful song details Nessa’s internal struggles and feelings of loneliness as she navigates life in Munchkinland. Although Bode has high levels of anxiety about his performance, he is hopeful that fans will be able to appreciate his performance of the song.
“I hope I did justice and I hope the audience enjoys (the performance),” the actress said, adding that she is “happy” with Nessa’s arc in the film, which differs from the stage musical.
In the upcoming sequel, Nessa asks her sister, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), to grant him the ability to fly. In the Broadway musical, Nessa asks Elphaba to heal her and allow her to walk after years in a wheelchair. said Bode, who is the first disabled actress to play the character we that change “just makes sense”.
Marissa Bode as Nessarose and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in ‘Wicked’.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures“When you’re dealing with a movie that’s already so great, doing something that’s not only a little bit healthier for the perception of people with disabilities, but also takes the magic, honestly, to another level,” Bode said. “She’s literally up in the air and flying. I’m happy with the change … what she’s asking her sister for in the second movie. It’s different from the stage musical in terms of her pleading to be fixed and healed. This may be a disabled person’s story, but it’s not all of our stories.”
Bode went on to explain that it’s “a common mistake” and a “one-dimensional” portrayal of the disability community that he hopes to correct with the film and future projects.
The actress shared her thoughts for good at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, where he spoke with local kids about the sequel and joined them for a musical performance. A former Boys & Girls Club mentor, Bode said we who was working at the nonprofit when she received a call from her agent that she had been selected for a callback evil.
The magic continues in the final trailer for Wicked: For Good, and fans are delighted with the last look at Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. The teaser, set to the songs “Thank Goodness” and “No Good Deed,” was released on Wednesday, September 24, with Grande, 32, and Erivo, 38, navigating their lives after the (…)
“It feels full circle in a lot of ways,” Bode said of his return to the Boys & Girls Club. “(During) my time here at JAMS, I was part-time, so I was here later in the day, but I was still auditioning. It was literally here that I got a call from my agent for the first time letting me know that I got a refund. I didn’t answer it right away because I wasn’t on break and I didn’t want to interrupt my shift, but God has called me three times. important.'”
Stayed at association with Fandango and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Bode’s event was part of the Evil: For good campaign, which invites fans to complete their ticket purchases to support Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.
“I feel grateful for my time here and coming back in a little bit of a different way, but still helping to mentor the kids in some way,” the actress said. “I would love to encourage those who are going to see the movie to come together when they buy their tickets to donate to the Boys & Girls Club. It’s so important to give back to this program and for young people to have spaces and things like creating in the art space, art supplies or technology.”