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Wicked Stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande Cheer On Simone Biles at Paris Olympics (WATCH)
Elphaba and Glinda briefly put their Oz-based enmity aside to enjoy the talents of a world-class gymnast.
The Paris Olympics got rather *ahem* wicked this past weekend as Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were spotted cheering on U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, alongside fellow celebrity fans Snoop Dogg and Tom Cruise. Erivo and Grande will, of course, be appearing opposite one another as friends turned enemies Elphaba and Glinda, in director Jon M. Chu's two-part adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical, Wicked (Part 1 exclusively hits the big screen this November).
RELATED: What Was the Injury Scare that Simone Biles Overcame to Finish 1st in Gymnastics Qualifiers?
Biles — who is tied with Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals won by an American gymnast — impressively made it past the first qualifying round, in spite of a lower leg injury. (Check out her full performance right here.)
Watch Wicked Co-Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Root on American Gymnast Simone Biles at 2024 Paris Olympics
"I don't want to be down the road in 10 years, look back, and be like, 'Oh, I wish I would have tried," Biles, 27, told NBC Sports' Alex Cooper when asked about her determination to try out for the 2024 Games. "Rather than never trying and watching the girls in Paris and being like, 'What if I could have been there?' I've learned so much about myself in such different Olympic experiences, that I feel like at this point, nothing can break me. I've just been through so much trauma, so much healing. I'm actually excited to see what happens after this."
What Is Wicked About?
Presenting a unique interpretation of The Wizard of Oz story fans think they know, Wicked is told from the perspective of Elphaba (Erivo), a green-skinned pariah destined to one day become the dreaded antagonist known as the Wicked Witch of the West.
Before she amassed an army of flying apes and supposedly tormented Dorothy, however, Elphaba was a gifted student at Shiz University, studying under the tutelage of headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and rooming with a young Glinda the Good (Grande). Elphaba's spell-casting talents eventually place her in the sights of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), who may not be the pristine figure everyone assumes him to be, though challenging his authority means a life of lonely infamy.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About the Movie Adaptation of "Popular" Musical Wicked
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live), Bronwyn James (Lockwood & Co.), Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman), Colin Michael Carmichael (Black Mirror), and relative newcomers Marissa Bode and Aaron Teoh co-star.
When Does the Wicked Movie Open in Theaters?
Wicked will ride a broomstick into theaters everywhere Friday, November 27. Wicked Part Two, on the other hand, is currently scheduled for a wide bow on November 26, 2025.
How to Watch the Summer Olympic Games
Every day during the Summer Olympics, NBC will offer fans at least nine hours of daytime coverage of the Games’ most exciting events, including live finals coverage of swimming, gymnastics, track and field, and more. Considering the time difference (Paris is six hours ahead of the U.S.’s Eastern time zone), fans will be able to watch the day’s most popular events live on NBC in the morning and afternoon. NBC will also deliver an enhanced Olympics primetime show each night, providing three hours of must-see entertainment.
In addition, every event from the Summer Olympics will be broadcast live on Peacock, which will be home to an innovative Olympics hub that will include "curated rails of live and upcoming events, dedicated in-depth hubs for nearly 40 sports, medal standings and an interactive schedule."
