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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Since “Wicked” came out in late November, I have been enraptured by the performance of Elphaba by Cynthia Ervio. So has the world.

I can’t remember the last time I have seen a piece of media unite people of all walks of life such as this movie did. I don’t know if in my lifetime that I can recall if it has ever really happened.

The undeniable magic of this movie doesn’t lie in the beautiful sets and costumes, or even in Jonathan Bailey’s charming disposition. 

It lies within the bond that Ariana and Cynthia created and the hope they shared for all that defying gravity really is possible.

It lies within the permission that Cynthia gives us to be wholly and entirely ourselves and that you can hold passion and grace at the same time, both in her green verdigris and in her stead true self.

Cynthia has mentioned herself how she sees parts of herself in every role she takes, most notably, Celie Johnson in “The Color Purple”, Harriet Tubman in “Harriet”, and of course, our Elphie in “Wicked”. 

By Cynthia pouring herself so devoutly into every role she takes, especially emotionally, it creates a bond between this entwined version of herself and the character, and the audience. 

It leads us to say things like “our Elphie”, because I think sometimes, we can all empathize with Elphaba in small ways and large ones. But more importantly, this film allows and creates (or holds) a space for those who see themselves in Cynthia, that can now utilize this space she has created and step into that light.

My social media has been filled since November with wickedly talented young black girls letting their heart run through the lyrics of “The Wizard and I”, “I’m Not That Girl”, and “Defying Gravity”. The passion and depth these girls carry can rival that of those who have been famous for years. 

Cynthia has transformed spaces where young girls who see themselves within her can use her passion and intermingle it with their own to create their own light. Their own mark on the world and treat it with strength, grace, humility, and joy, just as Cynthia does. 


As I stated before, I have never seen such a profound impact on such a wide range of people as Wicked. I am joyous as I am that the world could collectively breathe, laugh, and cry for a minute in unison. I am even more ecstatic for those who now know that even though Elphie sings “I’m Not That Girl”, they are, have always been, and will always be that girl.

Leah McElheny is the co-campus correspondent for Her Campus at SBU. She is responsible for the general managing of chapter and executive board logistics with her roommate and co-president, Claire! She plans to write about her experiences and her opinions on all things pop culture. Outside of Her Campus, Leah is a senior at St. Bonaventure University and is currently double majoring in Adolescent Education with an English concentration and English. She has worked with multiple school districts in the area, tutoring and substitute teaching for middle school and elementary school. She currently works for the university as a writing tutor and is a student teacher. She loves helping students find their passion in English! In her free time, Leah enjoys dancing for the SBU dance team, reading, and watching movies. Her favorite books are "The Similars" and "The Pretenders", both by Rebecca Hanover. Her biggest personality trait is loving Harry Potter and she prides herself on being incredibly mediocre at all forms of trivia, other than Harry Potter trivia of course.