It was too hot for Oz — literally. Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey’s intense on-screen moment in Wicked: For Good ended up being cut because it set off sparks that the filmmakers thought were just too passionate for the story’s emotional balance. But here’s where it gets interesting — the decision had less to do with censorship and more to do with storytelling psychology.
According to screenwriter Dana Fox, the scene between Bailey’s Fiyero and Grande’s Glinda was “romantic and beautiful,” but it also crossed into territory that made audiences take their relationship too seriously. “It was a little too passionate,” Fox told Deadline, explaining that the moment felt so real it made Fiyero’s later choice to be with Elphaba difficult to emotionally justify. “It made it too painful to watch him leave Glinda and too hard to root for Elphaba,” she said.
In Wicked: For Good — the sweeping, visually lush musical sequel to last year’s Wicked — Grande’s Glinda is engaged to Bailey’s Prince Fiyero, who later falls for Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Fox revealed that the team ultimately decided that keeping such a charged kiss would confuse the audience’s loyalties. “If we knew they really had something genuine, it would make his choice unbearable and turn fans against all three characters,” she explained. “It was too adorable — too emotionally honest — for the film’s structure to handle.”
Fox added that she had no second thoughts about the decision. “Honestly, there’s nothing I wish we hadn’t cut,” she said, emphasizing that every edit was made with the story’s emotional truth in mind. “We made the cuts for exactly the right reasons.” Representatives for both Grande and Bailey didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Fox co-wrote the two-part musical epic alongside Wicked veteran Winnie Holzman, with direction by Jon M. Chu. Despite the on-screen love triangle, off-screen friendships between the cast remain strong. Grande and Erivo, in particular, have developed a famously close bond. Earlier this month, Erivo even stepped in to protect Grande when a fan charged at her during the Wicked: For Good Singapore premiere — a moment that showcased their genuine care for one another.
“Cynthia is one of the most brilliant and kind people I’ve ever met,” Grande said in a 2024 Variety Actors on Actors interview. Erivo echoed the sentiment later in Elle, sharing that she “gained a sister” in Grande. The two reportedly talk almost every day.
But here’s the part most viewers miss: Could the audience have handled a more passionate love story between Glinda and Fiyero, or did the editor’s scalpel save the emotional core of Wicked: For Good? Some fans might argue that too much restraint can make a film feel sanitized — while others say discipline is what keeps great storytelling from descending into melodrama.
What do you think? Should audiences have seen the full, uncut version of that fiery Glinda-Fiyero kiss — or was leaving it to the imagination the wiser choice? Let the debate begin.
