Glinda the Good Witch may be “obsessulated” (in Ozian terms) with Britney Spears, just like the rest of us. Wicked: For Good appears to subtly reference the iconic singer, with the film containing some striking similarities to one of her most famous music videos, especially within Ariana Grande’s character arc as Glinda.
As pointed out by Instagram fan Azia Celestino, Wicked: For Good seems to include nods to Spears’ video for her 2001 hit song “Lucky,” which famously tells the story of a rising starlet filled with sadness despite her success. In the video, Spears plays a movie star that experiences the perks of fame and fortune, like winning an Oscar, but feels lonely and isolated within her seemingly glamorous life.
This isn’t too far from Glinda’s storyline in Wicked: For Good in that she achieves the popularity and influence within Oz that she’s always sought but still feels empty and lonely inside. Her character’s experience matches the one within “Lucky,” and fans have pointed out additional parallels between Wicked: For Good and Spears’ video that they believe are intentional.
Glinda’s Britney-Coded Parallels
While Glinda’s Emerald City apartment within the Wizard’s castle is as pink and glamorous as you’d expect from her Shiz University dorm, it’s eerily reminiscent of Spears’ similarly lavish home in the “Lucky” music video, from the sky-high windows with ornate geometric engravings to the large mirrors, which both Glinda and Spears use as symbolism to express their inner loneliness.
Both Wicked: For Good and “Lucky” also use romance as a manufactured storyline. In Wicked, Glinda gets engaged to Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) without him even knowing, as Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) plans their wedding simply as a public distraction in Oz. And in “Lucky,” Spears’ hunky love interest appears to rescue her, only for their kiss to be a scene they’re filming for her new movie.
In addition, the Glinda posters that are proudly displayed in Munchkinland toward the end of the movie bear a striking visual resemblance to Spears’ “Lucky” billboard, though they’re being used for vastly different purposes.
Are The References Intentional?
Only Wicked director Jon M. Chu would be able to answer whether he was actually nodding to “Lucky” in Wicked: For Good. However, it’s worth noting that he’s helming the upcoming Spears biopic, based on her 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, which means the references might not be completely coincidental.
In a 2024 interview, Chu told Bustle about his goals for the Spears biopic, making it clear that he’s a longtime fan (he’s been to seven shows) and wants to do her proud. “She’s always been this icon, but ultimately, especially more recently after reading her book, she’d become human to me,” he said. “I think that is so beautiful. I hope to convey that humanity and the spectacle of what she is in all her glory.”
