As “Wicked” cast wheelchair-user actress Marissa Bode in the key role of Nessarose, the filmmakers wanted to ensure that the representation onscreen was “very intentional” from the jump — which included showcasing wheelchair-friendly access points throughout the film’s elaborate production design.
“The commitment for ‘Wicked,’ it was there even in pre-production. So this is a little over two years ago when the executive producer reached out and wanted me to take a look at casting breakdown to make sure the breakdown was appropriately worded as we were casting Nessarose (Marissa Bode),” Janine Jones-Clark, EVP, Filmmaker & Content Strategist for Universal Film Entertainment Group shared during TheWrap’s 2024 Power Women Summit panel “Charting Progress in Film Diversity,” which was presented by the Geena Davis Institute.