{"id":378331,"date":"2024-11-22T17:03:48","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T17:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/?p=378331"},"modified":"2024-11-28T12:05:54","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T12:05:54","slug":"wicked-marissa-bode-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaytimes.com\/films\/wicked-marissa-bode-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"‘This must be a simulation!’: Wicked’s Marissa Bode on making history as Nessarose"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marissa Bode discusses\u00a0her historic film debut in Wicked\u00a0<\/em>and why “caring about disability and inclusion benefits everybody”.<\/p>\n

WORDS BY\u00a0SAM DAMSHENAS
\n<\/strong>PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMI DRASIN<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>

\u201cIf it sets in that this is real, I might lose my mind a little bit,\u201d says Marrisa Bode. In Wicked<\/em> – her feature film debut! – the 24-year-old has made history as the first disabled person to play Nessarose, Elphaba\u2019s fiercely independent sister and Shiv classmate who just-so happens to be a wheelchair user. While no one should be defined by their disability – as she says, a wheelchair is an \u201cassistive device\u201d in similar vein to glasses – Bode is using Wicked<\/em>\u2019s press tour to \u201cscream from the rooftops\u201d about much-needed accessibilities for disabled people and to fight for industry inclusion.<\/p>\n

“I want to speak directly to disabled people and say that you can be in spaces, a lot of spaces, so don\u2019t let anybody tell you that you\u2019re too much or that accommodations can\u2019t be made,” Bode tells GAY TIMES.<\/em> “Fight for yourself, fight for your rights. Don\u2019t let people tell you that it\u2019s not possible.”<\/p>\n

As well as being the first wheelchair user to play Nessarose, Wicked<\/em> marks a watershed moment for Hollywood as it will be one of the – here\u2019s that word again – first<\/em><\/span> blockbusters to spotlight a disabled character to this extent. As a result, Nessarose will inevitably inspire countless disabled people who have never seen themselves portrayed this authentically on-screen. Bode says: \u201cFor me to be that for so many – not even just young kids in wheelchairs, but people in wheelchairs in general – it means the world to me. It\u2019s surreal that it\u2019s me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here, Marissa Bode discusses her lauded (and more progressive) depiction of Nessarose in Wicked<\/em>, what it was like to act opposite Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey and more in – it bears repeating – her! first! film!<\/em> and the need for more disabled creatives in every aspect of the entertainment industry. As a queer person chatting with a queer publication, you can also expect a bit of rainbow talk.<\/p>\n

Marissa, it\u2019s time! How are you feeling?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s wild. I grew up loving The Wizard Oz<\/em> and the magic, the colour and the whimsy. I am a sucker for whimsy. To see a lot of that transferred into the film itself, with nods to The Wizard of Oz<\/em>, is so cool. \u201cCool\u201d isn\u2019t even the right word. I don\u2019t know if there is a word to describe being part of something so great. I\u2019m really excited for the world to be part of this magic.<\/p>\n

Wicked<\/em> is an instant classic, and I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a film in recent memory that has been cast as perfect as this.<\/h3>\n

I remember [director] Jon [M. Chu] saying that one of his goals is for this to be a classic and The Wizard of Oz<\/em> for this generation, which is super hard to live up to because so many people hold that dear to their heart, including me. The cast as a whole has been nothing but kind and great to me. I don\u2019t even need to say it, but everyone is genuinely so incredibly talented. I couldn\u2019t agree with you more, that it is perfectly cast and everyone truly is their role in the film. It doesn\u2019t feel like I\u2019m watching Ari as Glinda. I\u2019m like, \u2018That is Glinda.\u2019 I\u2019m not watching Cynthia as Elphaba. That is Elphaba.<\/p>\n

As a lifelong fan, can you talk to me about your first memories of Wicked<\/em> and The Wizard of Oz<\/em>, as well as Nessarose?<\/h3>\n

One day at school one of my besties, who I love dearly, was wearing a Wicked<\/em> jacket and I had no idea what it was. She started describing it and I was like, \u2018…amazing.\u2019 Then, it was touring in my area and my mom had surprised me with tickets. It was so sweet and amazing. I believe I was 11 or 12 at the time. When I saw the musical I loved the whimsy of it all and thought, \u2018This is such a great story, and gives so much more context to the [Wizard of Oz<\/em>] characters and how we villainise people.\u2019 Of course, seeing Nessarose on stage, somebody in a wheelchair, was really cool for me. I had never seen anything like that before. Obviously, when I learned this actress wasn\u2019t actually in a wheelchair or physically disabled in any way, it was disappointing for me. I was like, \u2018Man, is there a place for me? Is there really no place for authentically cast disabled people?\u2019 The musical as a whole is obviously lovely and wonderful, but it would\u2019ve meant the world to me to see somebody authentically cast that was in a wheelchair. So, for me to be that for so many – not even just young kids in wheelchairs, but people in wheelchairs in general – it means the world to me. It\u2019s surreal that it\u2019s me.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve even got your own Barbie!<\/h3>\n

Yeah! My partner keeps asking me, \u2018How are you not freaking out about the Barbie?\u2019 and I\u2019m like, I\u2019m telling myself that this is a simulation and none of this is real because if it sets in that this real, I might lose my mind a little bit.\u2019<\/p>\n

Can you talk to me a little bit more about what it means for you to be that representation? How you will be the representation you never had for so many?<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m at a point in my life where I\u2019ve learned so much, not only about my disability, but so many other disabilities. I feel like I\u2019ve made a community. I have a number of friends with various disabilities, and so it\u2019s also been a journey to love myself and accept my disability as well; that it\u2019s not this huge thing that everyone makes it out to be. It\u2019s not a huge tragedy to be in a wheelchair. A wheelchair is an assistive device. I always like to make the analogy of glasses, because I think it\u2019s very true that glasses obviously help people see better and nobody\u2019s making a big deal like, \u2018You\u2019re wearing glasses, bless your heart! You\u2019re so special! You\u2019re so strong for wearing glasses, good for you!\u2019 It\u2019s literally the same thing as a wheelchair. I\u2019m literally sitting down, that\u2019s it. It\u2019s an assistive tool to help me move throughout the space. For me, it\u2019s no deeper than that. Obviously, accommodations are super important and I don\u2019t think people need to ignore the disability because, when you ignore the disability, it\u2019s harder for accommodations to be made and for inclusion to happen. I just don\u2019t think it\u2019s something that needs to be pitied or made a fuss over. We\u2019re just human beings. We\u2019re just out here existing.<\/p>\n

I stalked your Instagram and the fan comments are so beautiful. It\u2019s wonderful to see how many people you\u2019ve already represented. What is that like for you to see?<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve definitely gotten emotional a number of times when I get comments, specifically from disabled people expressing how excited they are to see somebody that looks like them, and how this representation helps them feel seen. Again, I grew up not really seeing that representation and if I did, it was for one special episode and you never saw that character again. So, to be in a blockbuster movie like this, it\u2019s just so important. I want to speak directly to disabled people and say that you can be in spaces, a lot of spaces, so don\u2019t let anybody tell you that you\u2019re too much or that accommodations can\u2019t be made. Fight for yourself, fight for your rights. Don\u2019t let people tell you that it\u2019s not possible. Obviously, all disabilities are different and there are going to be some limitations here and there, but a lot of the time there are ways around it if the proper accommodations are made. I will be screaming that from the rooftops throughout this press tour.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>

What kind of impact would you like Wicked<\/em> and your portrayal of Nessarose have on the industry moving forward?<\/h3>\n

I would like people to know that it is possible, and you should be including disabled people. Including disabled people is the bare minimum. We are people existing in everyday life, where we make up quite a bit of the population. Everybody should care about disability because the disability community is the one marginalised community that anybody can join at any time. You don\u2019t know what tomorrow brings. You could experience a medical emergency and be disabled. So, I think that caring about disability and inclusion benefits everybody. So, I hope this sets a precedent that it\u2019s possible to, not only include disabled people on screen, but provide accommodations. The Wicked<\/em> team was incredible at that. If there isn\u2019t necessarily a huge budget like Wicked<\/em>, ask the disabled person. Always ask the disabled person how you can make a change without a big budget. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll find the answer as it\u2019s not as difficult as people make it out to be. I guess the one thing I also want to scream is: never just assume about disabilities. Always ask. If we do both of those things, a lot of progress can be made.<\/p>\n

As well as providing representation for people with disabilities, Wicked<\/em> includes allegories for race and queerness through the character of Elphaba\u2026<\/h3>\n

This movie is for everyone, but the girls and gays are definitely going to be seated for sure! I\u2019m telling you, my whole queer friend group has already bought their tickets. The queer community has been drawn to flamboyant colours and brightness and, as you said, there\u2019s themes of race and queerness. Staying true to yourself and speaking up for others is one of my favourite themes in Wicked<\/em>. The theme of friendship and finding that community is also especially important in a world where LGBTQ+ people still aren\u2019t accepted in a lot of places, or don\u2019t have that support system. Having a chosen family and finding that community is really important, and a theme that a lot of people can relate to.<\/p>\n

Before Wicked<\/em>, you had only acted in short films, right?<\/h3>\n

Yeah, and they\u2019ve all been really small, quite local. All of them were in Wisconsin and produced and written by my dad, who is a writer. Then I\u2019ve made short films of my own, and those have been self-made projects. The pandemic really harnessed that creativity in me, especially making and creating something on my own. So, Wicked<\/em> is my first big girl thing! What a way to step into my career like this? It\u2019s absolutely bananas, how incredibly lucky am I? Infinity lucky, is the answer. Overwhelming, I\u2019m not going to lie, but I\u2019m so incredibly grateful to be a part of this and to bring such an incredible film to a new generation.<\/p>\n

Marissa, this was your first film and you slayed <\/em>it. Honestly, you were so natural on the screen.<\/h3>\n

That\u2019s so sweet, thank you. I was cast in this, basically, a year after graduating college, so it feels like everything happened really fast for me. I keep saying this, but it really did install that imposter syndrome in me. Especially going to a performing artist college where there were so many incredible talents and, a lot of them have gotten work, but\u2026 I don\u2019t know. To be in something this big so soon, oh my god.<\/p>\n

That imposter syndrome needs to be gone. She is\u2026<\/h3>\n

Taking the piss, as British people say!<\/p>\n

She\u2019s taking the f***ing piss and she needs to get going.<\/h3>\n

That voice has definitely quietened. It\u2019s still a work in progress, so she\u2019s still there. And I know a lot of actors and artists experience that. I have such a great support system around me that helps me navigate that.<\/p>\n

I have to say, I\u2019m excited about your post-Wicked<\/em> career. You mentioned how you self-made a lot of short films, so are you aiming to explore other avenues such as writing, directing and producing? Is that something you\u2019ve thought about?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s intimidating because I\u2019ve only directed myself, really. In college, we would rotate; some people would be actors and then others directors, so we all got a chance to experience different parts of [the industry], which was helpful. I think, as an actor, it\u2019s important to experience it all. We also wrote as well, so I\u2019m definitely not opposed to directing and definitely writing more, although I\u2019m a perfectionist when it comes to my writing and sharing my writing. But, there needs to be a lot more disabled people in the writers’ room when writing disabled characters, or writing characters in general, so that the focus isn\u2019t on their disability. They\u2019re just existing, because that\u2019s our truth and our reality. Disabilities are a huge part of us, and we need to tend to things within our disabilities on a day-to-day basis, but it\u2019s not what we think about every waking day. It\u2019s not in every single one of our conversations.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Wicked<\/em> does beautifully, Nessarose isn\u2019t defined by her disability.<\/h3>\n

That\u2019s actually what I love in this version, which is slightly different from the musical stage version. It shows Nessa in her friendships and her relationship with Elphaba. And Elphaba isn\u2019t necessarily protective because she thinks Nessa is incapable, it\u2019s moreso because her dad is protective and he\u2019s telling Elphaba to do so. Whereas in the stage version, everybody – or most people – look at Nessa like she\u2019s not capable. Highlighting that Nessa is perfectly capable [in the film] as a human being just existing and going to college like everyone else is important.<\/p>\n

Wicked is out now.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n