Bullying of green-skinned witch in Wicked labelled discrimination by regulator

Bullying of the green-skinned witch successful movie philharmonic Wicked has been labelled arsenic “discrimination” by regulators.

The film, which serves arsenic a prequel to the The Wizard Of Oz (1939) and is billed arsenic “the untold story” of Elphaba and Glinda, has been fixed a PG standing by the British Board Of Film Classification (BBFC).

In its classification breakdown the organisation explains that determination are depictions of favoritism erstwhile a pistillate with greenish tegument is “mocked, bullied and humiliated due to the fact that of her tegument colour”.

It besides highlights a disabled pistillate being “treated successful a condescending mode by able-bodied people” and talking animals being “persecuted successful a fantastical society”.

Wicked is the root communicative of Elphaba, who is misunderstood owed to her greenish skin, and becomes villainised by the rulers of Oz aft rebelling against them.

British theatre prima Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba successful the film, which has been divided into 2 parts, portion US vocalist Ariana Grande stars arsenic her classmate Glinda.

Earlier successful the month, Erivo, 37, told US chat amusement The View that feeling similar an outsider and “not fitting in” drew her to the relation of Elphaba.

“I anticipation that radical spot Elphaba and recognize if they consciousness different, and if they consciousness similar they’re connected the outside, that that lone makes them much special,” she said.

The BBFC has besides said the movie contains violence, item of injury, and occasional threatening scenes, including “fantastical creatures and quality guards chasing aft 2 women”.

The blockbuster has proved popular, surpassing Gladiator II and Paddington In Peru to unafraid the biggest opening play of 2024 astatine Vue International.

While promoting the film, Erivo and Grande, 31, paid homage to the archetypal Broadway accumulation with their prime of outfits – and were adjacent joined by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda respectively, for the LA premiere.