Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the Wicked musical and movie!
Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible in theWickedmovie adaptation, continuing an exciting trend for the actor that I hope continues in her future projects. The actor began her onscreen career in the 1980s in Hong Kong movies. Since her debut with American audiences in the James Bond movieTomorrow Never Dies, Michelle Yeoh has become an A-list actor with a large fanbase and an Oscar. The actor has appeared in some of the biggest movie and TV franchises, including playingmultiple roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Scian inThe Witcher: Blood Origins, and Emperor Philippa Georgiou inStar Trek: Discovery.
As a fan of both Yeoh andWicked, I was overjoyed when the actor was cast as Madame Morrible in thetwo-partWickedmovie adaptation. While Yeoh isn’t a vocalist, she worked with a coach before filming to perfect her singing for “The Wizard and I,” and I’m looking forward to hearing the end result of all her hard work. However, Michelle Yeoh’s singing is far from the part of herWickedrole that I’m most excited about. The decision to cast the actor as Madame Morrible continues one of the most thrilling Michelle Yeoh acting trends.
Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible Is A Secret Villain In Wicked
Madame Morrible’s Villainy Is Hidden Behind Her Demure Exterior
While she looks and speaks like a pleasant and caring person, Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible isn’t what she seems at first glance based on the source material. Throughout most of the first half of the musical, the character doesn’t show many red flags about their true intentions and disturbing beliefs. While I believe she wrote the phrase “Animals should be seen and not heard” on the back of Dr. Dillamond’s blackboard, this is only ever implied. She says she’s sad about what happened to the teacher, but the tone and expression seem disingenuous.
Where To Watch Wicked On Streaming
The hit musical based on The Wizard of Oz is now an Oscar-nominated movie, and here are the options for where to watch it on streaming or on digital.
However,her actual beliefs and intentions become unfiltered, starting in the chamber scene right before “Defying Gravity.”Elphaba learns that Madame Morrible manipulated her the entire time so that she and The Wizard could use her magic to oppress the animals. The intermission after the iconic song – which iswhen the two-part Wicked movie will split– serves as a turning point where Madame Morrible shifts into an antagonist. As the press secretary, she spreads the rumors about Elphaba to hide The Wizard and her horrific actions.
Michelle Yeoh’s villain era proves how versatile of an actor she is, and I can only hope she continues to take on these roles.
In order to manipulate Elphaba, she murders Nessarose by using her magic to create a storm, dropping a house on top of her. Later, during “March of the Witch Hunters,” she speaks dialogue that eggs on the angry mob who is planning to kill. Ultimately, I think she’s much more sinister and malicious than The Wizard, making her the real villain of the musical, even if the story disagrees. Though Michelle Yeoh has expressed her version of the character takes creative liberties (viaTooFab), the story will undoubtedly include all the major points from the musical since they’re integral totheWickedcharacter.
Yeoh’s Wicked Casting Continues The Actor’s Villain Era
The Actor Has Taken On Roles As Villains In Recent Movies
The actor’s role as Madame Morrible inWickedis just the most recent in the fantastic trend of Michelle Yeoh playing the villain in movies. While Yeoh has played villains in the past, her current villain era started either in late 2023 or early 2024, depending on the perception of hercharacter inA Haunting in Venice. If Joyce Reynolds is a charlatan conning others, she’s a villain just as much as she’s a victim. That’s open to interpretation, though.
I like to think that her villain era truly started in January 2024 with the movieThe Tiger’s Apprentice.In this Paramount+ film, Yeoh plays Loo, an evil sorceress trying to obtain a phoenix egg. AsThe Tiger’s Apprenticereviewspoint out, the movie fell flat overall, but I loved Yeoh’s performance in the role. HerWickedrole is the second in the trend. Luckily, the actor will offer at least one more role in the villain era – Philippa Georgiou inStar Trek: Section 31.
Why It’s Exciting For Michelle Yeoh To Play Villains
Michelle Yeoh Adds Refreshing Complexity To Her Villain Roles
I love Michelle Yeoh in most roles she’s taken on because she’s an incredible actor; however, I am more thrilled watching her play villains. The actor’s best-known roles, such as Evelyn Wang inEverything Everywhere All at Once, are heroes or protagonists. Even the antagonists, like Eleanor Young inCrazy Rich Asians, aren’t true villains but good-intentioned characters who go about their goals in the wrong way. The dichotomy between her general roles and the villain roles makes them much more interesting to watch.
Wicked’s Movie Release Is A Timely Reminder That The Book Is Far Darker Than You Think
Though the Wicked movie is rated PG, the eponymous book by Gregory Maguire includes dark themes and disturbing descriptions that could upset readers.
Additionally, Yeoh is possibly one of the best actors to choose for a villain role becauseshe inserts nuance and complexity into her characters that makes them feel three-dimensional instead of being a caricature. The facial expressions, body movements, and tones all factor into her villains being so lovable. Ultimately, Michelle Yeoh’s villain era proves how versatile of an actor she is, and I can only hope she continues to take on these roles.
