Colman Domingo Joins the Land of Oz as the Cowardly Lion in ‘Wicked: For Good’
Colman Domingo is about to ease down the road as the “Euphoria” star has been cast as the Cowardly Lion in “Wicked: For Good.”
The “Wicked” Instagram account broke the news on Monday (October 20) with a video of Domingo hiding behind a stuffed lion, before the actor said “See you in Oz!”
In an interview with Deadline, Jon M. Chu, the director for “Wicked” and its sequel, shared the story behind how he approached the decorated actor about participating in the film.
“I was like, ‘It’s not a ton of lines, but maybe you have a little time. I know you’re busy. I’ll come to you,’” Chu remembered.
“He was like, ‘Why the f*ck not, let’s go!’ And then we went ahead and recorded the lines.”
With a laugh, Chu teased what’s to come, adding, “Man, wait until the red carpet when the actor who gave us the Cowardly Lion’s voice steps foot on it. It’ll be wild.”
In “Wicked,” there’s a pivotal classroom scene where Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) intervene after Dr. Dillamond’s removal. When a new professor presents a caged lion cub, he explains that keeping it confined will prevent it from ever learning to speak. Outraged, Elphaba unleashes her magic, creating the perfect distraction for her and Fiyero to snatch the cub and set it free in the forest.
In the sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” that same cub reappears as the fully grown Cowardly Lion, now harboring resentment toward Elphaba for the path his life has taken. As the story’s timeline begins to intertwine with “The Wizard of Oz,” the lion will join Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow on their iconic journey down the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
Chu shared that “Wicked: For Good” presents Elphaba through a fresh, empowering lens — one that celebrates her strength without comparison.
“Elphaba’s a superhero in this one,” he reflected, describing Cynthia Erivo’s striking first scene. “That opening moment where she descends — we wanted to capture just how powerful she really is.”
For Chu, it was important to redefine what heroism looks like for women on screen.
“This is how you show a superhero,” he continued, “especially women as superheroes, without forcing them into the mold of a male archetype. Elphaba stands in her own power — and Glinda can too.”
He noted that the film doesn’t just explore Elphaba’s transformation, but also “the origin story of Glinda the Good,” giving both women space to evolve beyond the stereotypes audiences expect.
