Cynthia Erivo joined the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance ahead of receiving the Visionary Award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s gala fundraiser and said she doesn’t understand how “Wicked” landed 10 Oscar nominations but not one for helmer Jon M. Chu in the best director category. Erivo is nominated for best actress, while co-star Ariana Grande is up for best supporting actress.
“I don’t know. I wish people understood just how much work has to go into creating a big, giant behemoth like ‘Wicked,’” Erivo told Variety’s Angelique Jackson about Chu’s directing snub. “None of that can happen without his vision. It just isn’t possible. He is the who can see who is right for this, who cast us in these roles, who asked for 9 million tulips, who says he wants to build a real set so it feels embedded in reality. It’s him! He says he wants the camera right in Glinda’s face when she walks down the steps in the Ozdust Ballroom. There is a kind of vision that you have to have in order to be in control of something that could run away from you very quickly if you don’t know what to do.”
Erivo reminded fans upset over Chu’s “Wicked” snub that “we have another film coming and he made two films at the same time,” referring to “Wicked: For Good.” She added: “I think he is an exquisite director. The people that he put in charge of every department! That also takes skill.
It was Chu who first reached out to Erivo when her best actress nomination was announced, she said. Erivo described her director as “the big brother and the dad” of the “Wicked” cast. He texted the group “we did it!” and “he has been doing that from the beginning, consistently celebrating this moment. I am so grateful to him for believing in us and giving us the room to play. He is wonderful guiding light.”
Erivo concluded that despite not being nominated for best director, Chu is “so grateful for every nomination there is, and for best picture. That makes him happy. it’s the big picture. If he is happy, then I happy. I want that for him.”
Grande spoke to Variety after the Oscar nominations were announced and also weighed in on Chu’s snub by saying: “He is incredibly brilliant, and all of the other nominations stems from Jon. I know he feels like seeing ‘Wicked’ be celebrated is a celebration of him as well. We just got off Facetime, and I told him how much I love him, and the truth, which is that absolutely none of this could have happened without his leadership, brilliance, empathy and thoughtfulness.”
The Oscars air Sunday, March 2.