Wicked movie’s Marissa Bode on making history and connecting with her younger self

Marissa Bode has made many core memories over the last couple of years. A year after graduating, she was offered the role of Nessarose in the Wicked movies by leads Cynthia Erivo (who plays Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) holding up a sign saying, “Will you be our Nessarose?” On accepting, she became the first actor who uses a wheelchair to portray the character.

However, the history-maker says that the most prominent memory was connecting with the performer, Cesily Collette Taylor, who portrays young Nessa.

“For me, just being there on the days that young Nessa films in the movie, and being there with her and her family, that’s definitely a core memory.”

Bode continues: “I’m really close with her family now. And so, to look back on that, like, on those first days that we first met and to know them now and just how great of human beings they are, it’s been really cool.”

Elphaba’s younger sister Nessarose is introduced in Wicked as a new student at Shiz University. There, she develops a relationship with Munchkinlander Boq (Ethan Slater) – which is explored in much more depth in part two. But unlike the stage show, the film gives glimpses of the Thropp sister’s childhood, with Taylor and Karis Musongole stealing the scenes.

Like Bode, Taylor is an authentic wheelchair user: “She’s so talented, and she’s also making history. I’m proud of her for that, too.” Bodes smiles, recalling how the scene has received applause at every screening so far.

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Wicked has been defying gravity for over 21 years, and this is the first time we’ve seen an authentic representation of Nessarose – an independently strong character looking to forge her way with a fresh start at school.

“There’s a lot that I already knew about Nessa because I see a lot of Nessa in myself, especially my 18-year-old self.” Bode explains, “Learning about my beliefs about the world as a whole from then to where I am now, just that growth and the more empathy I’ve had over the years in general, I learned a lot in that sense for sure.

“And so, it was really good looking back and seeing how far I’ve come.”