Director Jon M. Chu missed the Los Angeles premiere of his movie adaptation of Wicked as his wife went into labor with their fifth child. Chu shared the news on his Instagram Story, expressing his excitement for the birth of his baby girl and the premiere of his movie happening simultaneously. He assured fans that they will not be naming their daughter Galphaba. Despite missing the premiere, Chu made sure to watch the livestream and shared his excitement with his followers, even joking about wearing his suit for the birth. Later, he posted a video of his wife and their newborn baby girl, expressing his joy at the coincidence of their daughter’s birth and the movie premiere.
Chu and his wife, Kristin Hodge, already have four children together, and their fifth child was due around the time of the Wicked premiere. Chu had previously mentioned that this was his third child during the process of adapting the musical into a movie. He expressed his focus on enjoying the moment with his new baby girl, who he referred to as his “little daughter.” The premiere of Wicked attracted a number of stars including original leads Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, as well as new leads Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who were praised for their performances by attendees and fans.
The Wicked premiere was a star-studded event with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey in attendance. Ashley Tisdale, who was also at the premiere, shared her emotional reaction to the film on Instagram, challenging others not to cry while watching. Ben Platt, another attendee, praised the movie adaptation for staying true to the source material and delivering knockout performances by the cast. He specifically highlighted the performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, expressing his pride in their portrayal of the characters.
Overall, the Wicked premiere was a major success, with attendees and fans alike praising the movie adaptation for its faithfulness to the original musical. The cast, including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, received high praise for their performances, with many predicting that their portrayals will be remembered for years to come. Despite missing the premiere to welcome his fifth child, Jon M. Chu expressed his joy at the birth of his baby girl and the premiere of his movie happening simultaneously. The magic of the moment was not lost on Chu, who shared his happiness with fans and followers on social media.
