The mystery surrounding who would portray the iconic Dorothy Gale in the highly anticipated film Wicked: For Good has finally been solved. After much speculation from fans, the role has been awarded to Laura Harman, a 30-year-old Pilates instructor from Surrey.
Meet the Woman Behind the Slippers
While Dorothy is the central figure in The Wizard of Oz, her presence in the Wicked narrative is deliberately minimal. She makes a brief but crucial appearance in the second act, a role that has been hotly debated since the first film's release in 2024. Laura Harman, who trained at the prestigious The Urdang Academy in London, brings a wealth of theatrical experience to the part.
Her professional credits include performances in the ensembles of Rumi the Musical and Broken Wings the Musical back in 2018. Beyond acting, Harman has also worked as a choreographer for the West End production Asmahan at the Peacock Theatre, showcasing her diverse talent in the arts.
A Deliberately Fleeting Presence
In a surprising reveal, it has been confirmed that Dorothy's on-screen time is remarkably short. Harman appears for just 69 seconds and speaks only six words, with her face never fully shown to the audience. This intentional creative decision was explained by the film's director, Jon M Chu.
He told People magazine, 'I didn't want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with. [The sequel] is still Elphaba and Glinda's journey, and she is a pawn in the middle of all of it.'
This sentiment was echoed by Cynthia Erivo, who stars as Elphaba. She emphasised to Empire that keeping Dorothy largely unseen allows audiences to preserve their own personal image of the character. 'I think that's such a wonderful thing to do because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy they know,' she said.
The Stars Weigh In
Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, offered a different perspective on her character's interactions with the fleeting Dorothy. She revealed it allowed her to explore a more mischievous side of the Good Witch.
'I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy,' Grande shared. 'There's a lot going on, and she doesn't really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn't. That's a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her.'
The sequel itself has been met with a generally positive critical reception, currently holding a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In a review for Metro, Tori Brazier praised the lead performances, noting, 'While Wicked: For Good has its work cut out to match the triumph of part one, what is never in question are the performances of its exquisite leading ladies.' She added that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are 'even better in this second movie'.
Wicked: For Good arrives in cinemas across the UK on Friday, November 21.
