Michelle Yeoh is breaking her silence after Wicked: For Good did not receive a nomination at the 2026 Oscars.
“I’m not surprised. I am in shock!” the actress, 63, said in an interview with Variety published on Thursday, February 12. “I really am.”
Yeoh, who starred in both Wicked films as Madame Morrible, acknowledged that while the first film was praised by the critics, the sequel deserved its flowers as well.
“I think sometimes the problem is that people think, ‘Oh, you already got so much with the first one, let other people have a chance.’ But then it feels like, ‘No, come on!’ It’s such a beautiful, well-made movie,” she continued. “Paul [Tazewell] for costume design, hair and makeup. If you compare it [with contenders this year] it should be there.”
Yeoh added that director Jon M. Chu and set designer Alice Brooks deserved to be nominated for their work on Wicked: For Good.
“It’s not the replica of the first one. It’s more elaborate and there are many more new destinations in Wicked: For Good,” she explained. “So I was truly, truly very disappointed.”
Last year, Wicked — which is based on the hit Broadway musical — received a whopping 10 nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards including Best Picture and nods for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. The movie musical ended up taking home two Oscars for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.
One year after Wicked’s release, the tale came to a conclusion. In addition to following the play’s second act, there were two new original songs added to the film. Erivo, 39, performed the ballad “No Place Like Home” while Grande, 32, sang “Girl in the Bubble.” While fans praised Wicked: For Good, it received less love from the critics. The film received 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes while its first counterpart had a score of 88 percent.
When the Oscars nominations were announced earlier this year, Wicked: For Good was surprisingly excluded from the list. Best Picture nominees included Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, F1 and Train Dreams. Fans took to social media to express their frustration over the Wicked: For Good’s snub especially when Brad Pitt’s blockbuster F1 was included instead.
“I can’t believe F1 got nominated but not wicked??????? Crazy work,” one user wrote via X, while another replied, “Wicked for good not being nominated for any oscar is insane (and the f1 movie getting multiple is beyond absurd).”
F1 may have scored four 2026 Oscars nominations, but not everyone was supportive of the Academy’s recognition of the film. The Brad Pitt-led racing drama secured nods for Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects when the nominations were announced in January 2026. Though the fast-paced sports picture soared at the […]
Despite the recent Oscars’ snub, Grande and Erivo recently won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Defying Gravity” from the first film’s soundtrack.
“This is so special :’) @recordingacademy thank you so so so much!” Grande wrote via her Instagram Story in February. “Congratulations to the incredible @cynthiaerivo I love you & am so grateful to share this.”
Erivo echoed similar sentiments writing via her Instagram, “To share this win with @arianagrande makes it all even sweeter. I love you, congratulations to you, to us! Unlimited..”