Why Bowen Yang was ‘terrified’ to see ‘Wicked’ with his ‘Saturday Night Live’ co-stars

Bowen Yang wasn’t sure when he would watch the latest version of “Wicked.”

“Everyone has their weird issues when watching something they’re in,” he tells TODAY.com.

Yang, who has worked on “Saturday Night Live” since 2018, says he was “really hesitant” to see the film. In “Wicked,” Yang plays Pfannee (pronounced “fanny”), a student at Shiz University and one of Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) friends — or, as Yang puts it, Glinda’s “publicists.”

On October 12, Grande hosted “SNL.” That week, Universal Pictures hosted a “Wicked” screening for the cast of the sketch comedy show, Yang says. (TODAY.com and Universal Pictures share Comcast as parent company.)

“I thought, ‘I don’t think I’m going. I don’t want to see it among my friends and colleagues,” Yang said.

“I was so nervous. I was terrified because it was a long, very difficult time trying to combine both at the same time,” he adds.

Then he thought about his first visit to New York City.

“I begged my parents to go to the Gerswhin (Theatre, home of ‘Wicked’). We couldn’t afford tickets, but I thought, ‘Can I at least go so I can press my face against the glass?’” he says. “The same day we went two ways to Rockefeller Center to do the NBC Studios tour. We chose the TODAY show, we went to see Conan and then we went to ‘SNL.’

Watching “Wicked” as a member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast felt like things had come full circle, he says.

“It’s the perfect way to close that loop, as I see with ‘SNL’ people,” he says. “It was the perfect way to do it. I’m so glad I did it that way.”

As for any notable reactions from his castmates?

“Sara Sherman was there, and she sobbed throughout the movie. Just seeing her cry with joy and be emotional about things is my favorite thing to do. She is the emotional, affirming force in my life,” he says.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Yang shares his thoughts on the “Wicked” set, discusses all those Glicked (“Gladiator II” and “Wicked”) memes and, in true “Las Culturistas” fashion, his rules for the Ozian culture.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Much of the ‘Wicked’ set consisted of practical effects (physically constructed). What was the most shocking set piece for you?

I think the most surprising, shocking moment was walking into Shiz (University) on the first day. As everyone was impressed. Even the people on the crew who had worked on every Marvel movie, every Harry Potter movie and every other major blockbuster said, “We’ve never seen anything like this.” So it just blew everyone’s expectations out of the water.

But the most shocking moment was: there’s a giant sculpted face of Jeff Goldblum as the magician who I’m sure you know what I’m talking about in the movie. And Ari (Ariana Grande) and I were just walking around one day, like, walking around, and then we just walked up to it, and it really freaked us out. But of course it’s just because he’s so striking and handsome.

Well, you see it (in the movie), and you think, ‘That’s Jeff Goldblum.’

That’s Jeff Goldblum. I think it’s the first time you’ve ever seen him in the movie. It’s really great. It’s quite – it leaves an impression.

So between takes you all had free rein over the set?

Yes, it felt like an immersive Sleep No More theater experience. You just walked around and it felt so intimate. It felt like we were at school, just on the quad, just walking around.

Did that make you feel closer to your character?

Certainly. We were all caught up in the social dynamics of school life. It felt very freshman orientation because it was like we were in a classroom together. Seating layout was very intentional. I think it accelerated the awareness for everyone.

Who was the first person you met on set?

The first person I met when I went to rehearsals was Ari. Yes, it was really special. It was Ari, and then it was Bronwyn James, who plays Shenshen, my other half, my other extension.

Was there a moment for all of you when you realized, “Oh, we’re not just colleagues. We are friends’?

After the shoot we had wine evenings, especially when we were shooting remotely in the countryside. The Shiz campus was all the way outside London. And so they put us in this place where we would like to have a nightcap. And it was just a very tastefully grown-up thing. And then we all went to bed and showed up for work the next morning. It just felt like summer camp for adults.

What’s your ‘Wicked’ story? Are you a fan of the musical?

I’m obsessed with it. Cynthia (Erivo) and I have the same thing, where we didn’t see it until much later in life, but of course we knew the songs and the story… When you were in a drama club as a youth, it was just that, like you lived and breathed.

I remember going to the library and renting out the original Broadway cast recording and flipping through the booklet – remember that? And all I see are pictures of Idina (Menzel, the original Elphaba) and Kristin (Chenoweth, the original Glinda). I was like, something has changed in me. I thought, this is the best, this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

Tell me something about your character Pfannee. What is Pfannee looking for at Shiz University?

Pfannee’s atmosphere. There’s a moment where Pfannee and Shenshen run up to Galinda as she gets off Shiz’s boat, which you might see in an extended version of the film. But they are only there to rekindle the friendship they have had since childhood with Galinda.

That’s the background, that’s not entirely necessary, but I think what’s really interesting about them as characters is that they see and act based on status. They see Galinda, and they say, she’s someone we can peep on.

We talked about it early on and Jon (M. Chu) said, “I don’t think these are the lackeys, or the sniggering best friends. I think there’s something more to it.” And we were like, “Yeah, what’s up?” I think we found out they’re kind of like Galinda’s publicists.

Ari was very protective of the fact that Galinda wasn’t the one doing the bullying, she’s good. And so it is these two characters who are the villains. We’re the ones who give her the hat and say, ‘You know who should wear this? Elfaba. ”

You’re just protecting your client.

We only protect our client! Precisely.

Do you have a favorite meme about ‘Wicked’?

I think the star of the internet discourse of ‘Wicked’ is so small flying squirrel playing drums in the Ozdust. That little diva.

Was he on set?

He was on set and he was a real charmer. I think everyone had a private moment with him, and it was very steamy – No! We didn’t have (animals).

There’s also Glicked (the ‘Gladiator II’ phenomenon and ‘Wicked’ sharing a release date). Is that the best possible name we can come up with here?

Barbenheimer (“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”) is such a perfect combination. Slicked… I don’t know.

Happy – Gladwick. I love Gladwick.

Gladwick is nice.

Gladwick is cute. It sounds like a candle that buys a target. Gladwick.

Are you all leaning against Glicked?

Oh yeah, we’re so excited. This is the perfect time of year to do a double feature. Hopefully you only have time.

What order should people watch them in?

I think “Gladiator II” will be a little more intense, maybe more emotional. It’s going to be very, I think, quite violent.

And I think our film is a nice salve to rub over that wound. Yeah, maybe watch ‘Wicked’ after ‘Gladiator’.

In ‘Las Culturistas’ styledo you have any rules of Ozian culture?

The rules of Ozian culture are: The train to the Emerald City is too small. That’s culture rule number 7.

Rule of Ozian Culture No. 61 is that animals are better at partying than humans. That’s why they’re in the Ozdust.

And rule number 4 of Ozian culture is that Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) is unfortunately a style icon, even if she is a villain.

Part 2. What lies ahead for your character and for the residents of Oz?

Look, everyone’s saying, ‘This is the longest break ever.’ This is necessary because a lot of time passes between acts.

A lot happens when we record. Galinda is in this very forward position. Pfannee and Shenshen are still by her side, but a lot is moving. The world has literally changed and its landscape is very different. There is a campaign against this one person as they are, the reason for all the problems in the world.

The story is so flexible in how it relates to our real world, but I think it will be interesting to see –

(Editor’s note: Paul Mescalstar of ‘Gladiator II,’ stopped to say hello to Yang in the TODAY green room.)

And a lot has changed in the topography of things. But yeah, that’s necessary, because going straight from “Defying Gravity” to what happens in Act 2 just feels like too much of a sting.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com