Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey joins cast of Wicked movies - who he is and the part he will play

Director John M. Chu confirmed Jonathan Bailey will be joining the cast of Wicked movies on Wednesday night.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Further details of John M. Chu’s ambitious two-part stage musical movie Wicked has been confirmed, as Netflix drama Bridgerton sees its star Jonathan Bailey join the cast.

The English actor’s inclusion was confirmed on Wednesday, September 21 after being heavily rumoured for a role.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wicked, which was initially drawn up from Gregory Maguire’s novelisation, tells the story of Galinda and Elphaba, who were the witches from The Wizard of Oz.

Bailey joins the likes of popular American singer Ariana Grande (Glinda) and London-born actress Cynthia Ervio (Elphaba) to be confirmed to star in the musical.

When will Wicked be in cinemas?

Universal Studios has been developing the film since 2004, which will release in two parts with the first set to land in cinemas for Christmas 2024.

The second and final part of the musical movie will launch sometime in 2025.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But who is Jonathan Bailey and who will the Netflix actor play in the two-part Wicked musical? Here is everything you need to know.

Who is Jonathan Bailey?

Jonathan Bailey is most renowned for his starring role as Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton in popular Netflix series Bridgerton.

The 35-year-old actor from Wallingford has been a star on stage and screen for much of his career, regularly appearing on London’s West End as a child.

He has previously appeared as Gavroche in Les Miserables, as well as winning an Olivier for his performance as Jamie in Marianne Elliot’s revival of Company in 2019.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bailey’s most recent role in the West End was in Mike Bartlett’s Cock.

What part will Jonathan Bailey play in the Wicked movies?

Wicked director John M. Chu, who was also behind the film adaptation of In The Heights, confirmed that Jonathan Bailey will play a pivotal role in the movies - Fiyero.

For those not familiar with the character, Fiyero is the main love interest of the original musical and acts as a part of a vital love triangle.

He falls in love with Elphaba despite being engaged to Glinda, which leads to Fiyero getting captured and tortured - leading to his transformation to the scarecrow from the original Wizard of Oz.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jonathan Bailey’s experience of playing characters with romantic prowess, such as Bridgerton’s Anthony, has fans thinking positively about the casting.

Announcing the casting on Wednesday, Chu posted on social media: “He’s Perfect, they’re perfect. They’d be perfect together. Born to be forever….I am too excited to pretend this hasn’t been happening. We have a Fiyero!!!! #JonathanBailey #Wicked”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.