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FromMargaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West toIdina MenzelandCynthia Erivo's renditions of Elphaba, many actresses have brought the infamousOzcharacter to life in film and theater adaptations over the past century.
The iconic green witch debuted in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz,and the character has become a beloved — and bedeviled — pop culture legend largely due to adaptations including the 1939Wizard of Ozfilm, Broadway's 2003 production ofWickedand the 2024/2025 two-partWickedfilm adaptation.
The Wizard of Ozand Hamilton's depiction of the Wicked Witch of the West are based on Baum's novel, butWicked(both stage and screen versions) was adapted from Gregory Maguire's 1995 novelWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.While Baum's originalOztale focuses on Dorothy's journey from Kansas to the Emerald City,Wickedtells the story of Elphaba (originally played by Menzel on Broadway and portrayed by Erivo inJon M. Chu's film adaptation) and how she became known as the Wicked Witch of the West.
While fans of theOzuniverse got to see Erivo bring Elphaba to life on screen in Part 1 ofWickedin November 2024, they've had to wait a year for Part 2,Wicked: For Good, to hit theaters. With the film now playing on the big screen,Wickedenthusiasts are gathering once more to see how Erivo depicts the end of Elphaba's story.
Hamilton, Menzel and Erivo may be best known for the iconic role of the Wicked Witch of the West, but the actresses aren't alone in bringing the iconic character to life on screen and stage. Here's everything to know about the most notableOzadaptations — and the actresses who portrayed the Wicked Witch of the West in each rendition.
Margaret Hamilton inThe Wizard of Oz(1939)
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Margaret Hamilton played the Wicked Witch of the West in the classic 1939 film about Dorothy Gale's (played byJudy Garland) whirlwind crossing into the Land of Oz.
Baum's Wicked Witch of the West didn't have green skin, but the filmmakers who led the charge to bring the character to life inThe Wizard of Ozmade her green to showcase the then-revolutionary Technicolor picture, according toNPR. Paired with Hamilton's iconic cackle and famous line, "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too," the Wicked Witch of the West quickly became a pop culture icon.
Though Hamiltonsuffered second- and third-degree burns on setdue to a scene involving fire gone wrong,Ozexpert John Ficke told PEOPLE she loved being a part of the movie and "was very proud of it until the day she died."
Mabel King inThe Wiz(1978)
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Starring alongsideDiana Rossas Dorothy andMichael Jacksonas the Scarecrow inThe Wiz, Mabel King played Evillene, the Broadway musical's version of the Wicked Witch of the West.
The reimagining follows Dorothy, a schoolteacher in Harlem, who gets caught in a snowstorm chasing her dog Toto and winds up in the Land of Oz. Like the original film, the urban retelling follows her as she joins the ranks of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion in search of the Wiz, who has the power to send her home.
Idina Menzel inWicked(2003)
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Idina Menzel brought Elphaba to life in the originalWickedadaptation on Broadway in the early 2000s.
The award-winning musical loosely follows Maguire's novel, telling the story of the unlikely friendship between two witches — outcast Elphaba and popular Glinda — and the way Elphaba's fight for justice sends the two down different paths.
In June 2022, Menzel spoke to Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek about how bittersweet it felt to seeWickedcoming to life again, but without her as Elphaba.
"I'm very excited and I know it's in great hands and I'vesent so much love to Cynthia and Arianaand I'm there for them if they need me," theFrozenstar said. "And yes, I'm a little sad that I'm just older andcan't play the role, you know? And that's the honest truth."
Menzel added, "It's the aging and the proprietorship of the role and what it means to me and how it changed my life. I just love it, and I miss her, I guess, is what I'm trying to say."
The actress and her Broadway costar Kristin Chenoweth (who played Glinda onstage) later made a cameo inWicked: Part 1.
Miss Piggy inThe Muppets' Wizard of Oz(2005)
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In Disney's 2005 filmThe Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Miss Piggy played both the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.
Alongside the beloved Muppet characters, the adaptation starredAshantias Dorothy,Jeffrey Tamboras the Wizard,David Alan Grieras Uncle Henry andQueen Latifahas Auntie Em. The plot is largely the same as the originalWizard of Ozfilm, but with a twist: Dorothy yearns to be a singer and sets out on a quest to convince the Wizard to make her a star.
Mila Kunis inOz the Great and Powerful(2013)
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Mila Kunisplayed Theodora, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, inOz the Great and Powerful.
The movie follows Oscar Diggs (portrayed byJames Franco), an amateur circus musician from Kansas who's transported to the Land of Oz. Convinced he's hit the jackpot after stumbling into a realm expecting a foretold great and powerful wizard, Oscar is put to the test by three witches who aren't convinced he's up to the challenge.
During a 2013 press junket, Kunis spoke about the intimidation she felt in taking on Hamilton's iconic character and her desire to do the role justice.
"I'd be lying if I told you that it wasn't incredibly frightening ... She was phenomenal and did create such an iconic character for going on eighty years now. I wasn't gonna touch it," theThat '70s Showalum said, perToo Fab.
"I didn't want to ruin it and I didn't want to re-create it and I didn't want to re-interpret it. And so in order for me to wrap my head around it, I had to make sense of her origin," Kunis added.
Mary J. Blige inThe Wiz Live!(2015)
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Mary J. Bligejoined a star-studded ensemble cast for the NBC remake ofThe Wiz Live!,in which she brought Evillene to life once again.
The singer was joined byUzo Adubaas Glinda,NE-YOas the Tin Man andAmber Rileyas Addapearle. Latifah and Grier also returned for the production, though not in their original roles as Auntie Em and Uncle Henry — the rapper played the Wiz and the actor played the Cowardly Lion in the 2015 iteration.
During an interview withEssenceahead of the television release, Blige teased how she approached the role with respect for Hamilton's original Wicked Witch of the West, while also making the character her own. "I didn't take it away from the traditional way," she said. "But I just did a little 'Mary' on it."
Cynthia Erivo inWicked(2024) andWicked: For Good(2025)
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Menzel passed the torch to Erivo in 2024, with the latter actress portraying Elphaba in the two-partWickedmusical film adaptation.
During an April 2025 Canva Create event in Los Angeles, Erivo spoke about initially being unsure of how far she couldpush the boundaries of Elphaba's characterand being pleasantly surprised at the unique depth she was able to bring to the role.
"I really didn't know how far I could go with her and that surprised me, because it sort of already has a bible of how to play her," she explained. "And I think once I discovered that, oh, actually, maybe there's, there's a little more than I might be able to influence to play her with. Then it sort of, the world opened up a little bit more."
Alongside Erivo, the cast ofWickedandWicked: For GoodincludesAriana Grandeas Glinda,Jeff Goldblumas the Wizard,Jonathan Baileyas Fiyero andMichelle Yeohas Madame Morrible.
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