Cynthia Erivo is putting a hilarious new spin on Wicked, trading her signature green makeup for a blonde wig and pink tracksuit in a Nollywood-inspired parody on Saturday Night Live UK.
The Oscar-nominated actress hosted the British version of the sketch comedy series, where she switched roles from Elphaba to Glinda for a sketch titled "Nigerian Wicked." Erivo starred alongside comedian Ayoade Bamgboye, who portrayed Elphaba in the exaggerated, low-budget adaptation of the hit musical.
The sketch follows the two characters as they navigate their complicated friendship before traveling to meet the mysterious Wizard of LagOz.
But instead of the elaborate musical numbers and emotional moments fans expect from Wicked, the parody leans into over-the-top drama and ridiculous exchanges.
In one scene, Glinda slaps Elphaba across the face, replacing the tension between the characters typically expressed through the song "What Is This Feeling."
"Glinda, you slapped me!" Bamgboye's Elphaba says.
"Yes, because you are very classless," Erivo's Glinda responds.
The sketch also pokes fun at the musical's famous makeover sequence, with Elphaba expressing concerns about the cost of her transformation.
"Glinda, I can't afford this!" she says.
"When we go to the Wizard, it will all pay off," Glinda replies.
"The Wizard? But I'm a virgin!" Elphaba responds before the two nearly share a kiss.
Things get even more ridiculous when the pair arrive in the "emerald, white and emerald city" and reveal what they hope to receive from the Wizard. Glinda wants a Birkin bag, while Elphaba hopes to get a "skinny BBL."
"She wants a BBL that defies gravity!" the Wizard, voiced by Hammed Animashaun, announces.
Unfortunately, their dreams fall apart when they discover that the supposedly powerful Wizard doesn't have any money.
"That's a nolex," Glinda says after examining his watch.
The sketch eventually returns to Shiz, where Glinda asks Elphaba what they should do next.
Instead of answering, the two dramatically lean toward each other for a kiss before an explosion effect takes over the screen.
"Nigerian Wicked: LGBTQ!" the Wizard declares in the closing voiceover.
The parody marks a playful role reversal for Erivo, who famously portrayed Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande's Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked.
