After months of speculation, the identity of the actress playing Dorothy Gale in the upcoming film Wicked: For Good has been confirmed as Bethany Weaver, a 30-year-old choreographer, dancer and actress from Surrey. The revelation came only as the end credits rolled, ending a year-long mystery surrounding the casting.
Weaver steps into the iconic ruby slippers made famous by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. Unlike that version, however, her Dorothy remains largely hidden from view, appearing only briefly on screen from behind or in profile. Director Jon M. Chu deliberately kept the character in the shadows to preserve audience imagination.
Chu explained the creative choice: “I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with. It is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, and she is a pawn in the middle of all of it.” The decision mirrors the stage musical, where Dorothy is heard but never seen.
Weaver, who has worked extensively in West End theatre and recently choreographed the musical Asmahan, had long expressed her love for Wicked. In 2022, she posted on Instagram that she was “aggressively manifesting that one day I will be in Wicked!” – a statement that now feels prophetic.
Her career includes performances in Rumi the Musical and Broken Wings the Musical, and she is also a qualified Pilates instructor. Fans had speculated about the casting for months, with names like Madison Beer and Alisha Weir circulating, but Universal Pictures kept the secret tightly under wraps.
