Exclusive: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Reveal ‘Wicked’ Secrets in Behind-the-Scenes Special

‘Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked’ airs on NBC Nov. 19, before ‘Wicked: Part One’ flies into theaters Nov. 22. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are unveiling the movie magic behind the land of Oz and Emerald City.

PEOPLE has an exclusive preview of NBC’s new special Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked.

The special, set to air Tuesday, Nov. 19, will feature stars Erivo, 37, and Grande, 31, joined by much of the cast — including Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh and Ethan Slater — as they discuss the film’s production and share behind-the-scenes insight into the film from the set.

“We’re excited to share all of our Wicked secrets with you,” Grande said in the clip.

“In celebration of Universal Pictures’ new cinematic event, international superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead an all-star cast in a spectacular behind-the-scenes journey through Oz for their new film Wicked,” an official description of the special teases.

The one-night event will also feature an exclusive debut of a scene from the movie before it opens in theaters Nov. 22.

The two-part movie musical adaptation of Wicked comes from director Jon M. Chu, who previously made 2021’s In the Heights and 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians.

Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Tony-winning Broadway musical itself is adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked, a revisionist prequel set in the world of L. Frank Baum’s Oz novels.

The film made its world premiere in Australia on Nov. 3. Grande and Erivo recently told The New York Times that they both contracted COVID-19 during the film’s production in the days before each was scheduled to film their most important numbers.

“I came to set with a mask on my final days of recovery … no one liked this joke but I loved it so I’ll tell it: We were in the dorm room together and I sang in her ear,

‘Positive, you’re going to be positive!’ ” Grande joked of her character Glinda’s song “Popular.”

“But I wasn’t positive anymore, don’t worry!” she added. “I took the test.”

Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked airs on NBC Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 10 p.m. ET, then streams the following day on Peacock.

Wicked: Part One is in theaters Nov. 22, and Wicked: Part Two is set for Nov. 26, 2025.