[ wicked-film ] Write about the characters

Author: CodingCellist

content/en/post/wicked-film-is-surprisingly-good/index.md

@@ -66,17 +66,29 @@ air. Speaking of...
 
 (there are about 2-3 pages worth of carpenters and plasterers in the credits)
 
-## The Actors and Characters
-
-* Galinda's "side-kicks" -- played by Bowen Yang from Saturday Night Live, and
-  Bronwyn James, are phenomenally annoying (in the best of ways). There is some
-  definite Mean Girls energy in there, and it is wonderful to watch  ^^
 
-### They Can Sing
-
-* AG, unsurprisingly.
-* But (most) of the rest of the cast as well!
+## The Actors and Characters
 
+As I mentioned at the start of this post, I was sceptical about Ariana Grande's
+performance as an actor, especially since (as far as I know) her career has so
+far been as a pop star. But as an actor, she is surprisingly good! She plays the
+"spoiled and naïve magical girl" incredibly well, including doing some wonderful
+facial expressions, and -- to no surprise -- she can really sing and sings the
+songs from Wicked very well (if you've seen the musical, she manages the slight
+growls/snarls in some of Galinda's songs very nicely). Her performance in
+"Popular" is perfectly over the top -- as the song should be -- and had my
+family and I chuckling throughout.
+
+Speaking of Galinda, her "side-kicks" -- played by Bowen Yang from Saturday
+Night Live, and Bronwyn James -- are phenomenally annoying (that is a
+compliment by the way). There is such excellent Mean Girls energy in their
+acting and synergy with Galinda/Ariana Grande, and it is wonderful to watch  ^^
+
+Cynthia Erivo -- Elphaba -- is also very good in her role. Elphaba's awkwardness
+and feeling out-of-place is clearly projected through the screen, and later in
+the film, she is actively commandeering and intimidating in exactly the way that
+people about to boil over with anger can be; her hand motions, her movements,
+her way of speaking are brilliantly done and really grip one's attention.
 
 ## The Message Is Surprisingly Relevant