If you didn’t know, Bowen, who’s been nominated for four Emmy awards for his work on SNL, is the show’s first openly queer Asian cast member. He’s been outspoken about his experience as a gay man, especially on his podcast Las Culturistas, where he recently opened up about his experience in conversion therapy.
In a conversation at the British Film Institute as part of the London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival this week, Bowen sat down to discuss all things Wicked and got candid about the film’s themes and significance.
Bowen described Wicked as a “politically tragic” film, referring to the story’s othering of Elphaba due to the color of her skin. He then went on to point out that given the movie’s larger message, it’s a surprise that it’s seen such commercial success.
“It’s crazy that Wicked is out in the world and doing so well. When it’s a story about racism and fascism, all these things. I’m like, ‘Oh shit, yeah,’” he explained.
“It is miraculous that it’s out there,” he continued. “Like, the only reason the wizard has powers is because he creates problems for other people.” Which, spoiler alert, refers to the reveal that the wizard is truly powerless, and serves as a dictator figure in Oz.
And it’s definitely not just Bowen who has pointed out the prominence of racial themes in the movie. In an interview with Variety, costume designer Paul Tazewell described Elphaba as “a young woman who was marginalized because of the color of her skin.” And when Cynthia Erivo was cast as Elphaba, fans immediately noticed the significance of the character being played by a Black woman, given the movie’s message.
Cynthia herself has previously talked about how she personally relates to Elphaba’s experience of being othered. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, she revealed, “I just know what it’s like to feel like you don’t fit. Like you are just outside of the ordinary, like there’s no room for you. I know what that all feels like. I guess I used Elphaba as this wonderful opportunity to share that experience. And I think the wonderful thing about that is that I know there are so many people watching who feel the same, so I feel like it’s a big of a hug for anyone who feels that way.”
What are your thoughts? Did Wicked’s themes resonate for you? LMK down below in the comments.