Entertainment

‘Wicked: For Good’ Script Changes Improve Disability Representation, but Issues Remain

December 20, 2025

Dec 20, 2025 11:10am PT ‘Wicked: For Good’ Script Changes Improve Disability Representation, but Issues Remain By Kristen Lopez Plus Icon Kristen Lopez Latest Disabled Performers Advocate for Allies in Hollywood: ‘Inclusion Needs to Be a Movement and Not a Moment’ 11 months ago SoCal Soundstage Owners Fear They Won’t Survive Till 2025: ‘We Have Maybe Four or Five Months Stored and Then That’s It’ 1 year ago From ‘Reservation Dogs’ to ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ Indigenous Creatives Feel ‘Hopeful’ About Improved Native Representation in Hollywood 2 years ago See All Since its release back on Nov. 21, I’ve had several social media followers and friends ask me: “What did you think of ‘Wicked: For Good?’” There’s a hidden undercurrent to this question. They aren’t asking me just because I’m an entertainment journalist and critic; I’m also a disabled person who routinely writes about representation on-screen.

Marissa Bode has earned praise for her performance as Nessarose in “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good.”

Credit: Variety

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So the question they’re really asking is: “What did you think of how they handled Nessarose in the movie?” Related Stories Here's How to Watch 'F1: The Movie' Online for Free 'Lord of the Rings' Extended Editions Return to Theaters as 'Fellowship of the Ring' Turns 25 (EXCLUSIVE) Nessarose, the half-sister to heroine Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), has been a character I’ve had trepidation over since the movie was greenlit.
The first movie in 2024 was a pleasant surprise.
I knew they’d have to cast an actual wheelchair-using actor or risk the ire of social media, and Marissa Bode has been a highlight of both the first film and its sequel.
Popular on Variety Disabled women of color are still a rarity on-screen.
Per this year’s Annenberg Inclusion Study, 61% of the disabled characters seen on-screen last year were men and 70.8% were white, so to see someone like Bode given a character who, historically, has never been played by a disabled woman on stage until March of 2025, is amazing.

Wicked: For Good Features Jon M. Chu Marissa Bode

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‘Wicked: For Good’ Script Changes Improve Disability Representation, but Issues Remain

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‘Wicked: For Good’ Script Changes Improve Disability Representation, but Issues Remain

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