Annaleigh Ashford reflects on 'Wicked's lasting impact

Annaleigh Ashford, who once played Glinda on Broadway, is thrilled to see Wicked still enchanting the world.

For the unversed, the 39-year-old actress and singer brought Glinda to life on Broadway from 2007 to 2008.

She also played the role in the show's first national tour in 2005 and stepped into Glinda’s shoes in Chicago.

However, in the 2024 movie Wicked, Ariana Grande breathed life into Glinda while Cynthia Erivo appeared as Elphaba.

Discussing with PEOPLE her new Peacock show Happy Face, Ashford shared that she is happy to see so many people still love the musical.

She explained, "It's been such a blast watching the world enjoy Wicked. And also, it's been really fun to see people in our world, friends, families at my little boy's school and friends who are outside of the business who aren't familiar with Wicked becoming familiar with Wicked."

"And it's a reminder of why people love the show in the first place. Not only does it tap into nostalgia and our love for The Wizard of Oz and for friendship, for wanting to be home, but it also, I think, taps into this great love story of these two women and how friendship it is at the core of the human connection,” the Hold Your Breath star noted.

Notably, Ashford is not the only actress who articulated her thoughts on Wicked’s lasting success. Kristin Chenoweth, who was the first Glinda on Broadway, celebrated the musical’s 21st anniversary in October 2024.

Taking to her Instagram, Chenoweth wrote, “I’m still spellbound by the magic that was made those years ago.”

Before concluding, it is pertinent to mention that Annaleigh Ashford is set to appear in Happy Face opposite Dennis Quaid, which is scheduled to be released on March 20, 2025, on Peacock.