Marissa Bode, the first disabled actor to play Nessarose Thropp in the hit film musical Wicked and its forthcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, has called for better representation for disabled performers in the entertainment industry. She specifically urged an end to what activists call 'cripping up' — casting non-disabled actors in disabled character roles.
'I really hope my casting sets precedent,' Bode said. A recent study by the Rudderman Family Foundation found that only 21% of disabled characters on US television between 2016 and 2023 were played by disabled actors. Bode made history in the role, which had previously only been performed by non-disabled actors since the stage version premiered in 2003. The Broadway production later followed suit, casting ambulatory wheelchair user Jenna Bainbridge.
Bode praised the Wicked set for its accessibility, thanks to disability coordinator Chantelle Nassari, also a wheelchair user. 'That was one less thing I had to worry about,' she said. However, after the film's release in November 2024, Bode faced online abuse. She responded on TikTok, stating: 'Aggressive comments and jokes about Nessa's disability itself is deeply uncomfortable because disability is not fictional.' She added that she expects similar backlash after the sequel.
A key change in the film version of Wicked altered a scene criticised for promoting ableist narratives. Instead of Nessarose standing up from her wheelchair after a spell, her ruby slippers now give her the ability to float — a feeling she wants to relive after falling in love. Bode said the change adds 'so much more humanisation' to the character, who she believes deserves complexity.
Earlier this month, Bode received the Christopher Reeve acting award at the 2025 Media Access Awards, which celebrates disability representation. She acknowledged a lack of education around disability in the industry and encouraged people to seek information from disabled creators. 'We just don't have any education surrounding disability or the type of language that is appropriate,' she said.
