Hours after the Gotham Awards ended Monday night, planes full of talent, publicists, executives, and press made their way across the country back to the West Coast. Approximately 24 hours after, many Gotham attendees were now at Netflix’s Holiday Party in Hollywood, where stars such as Jacob Elordi, Joel Edgerton, and Jason Bateman, among others, mingled with the media, perhaps hoping to snag an important Golden Globe or Critics’ Choice vote. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria celebrated what the latter described as “an amazing year.” Less than two miles away, at a venue across the street from the famed Capitol Records building, Universal Pictures was throwing a reception dinner for “Wicked For Good,” but all was not as it seemed.
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The event was hosted by Collen Camp, a one-time actress and now Oscar whisperer extraordinaire, as well as director of “Moulin Rouge” and “Elvis,” Baz Luhrmann, who flew in from Tokyo for the festivities. While “For Good” director Jon M. Chu and perhaps some below-the-line talent were expected to be on hand, stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were not. Nor was anyone expecting a performance from either of them.
How lucky we were that it always appeared to be part of the plan.
With NBCUniversal Entertainment Chairman Donna Langley on hand, the two Oscar nominees took the small stage to sing “For Good” as well as reprise their NBC special wonder, a cover of the standard “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Considering the intimacy of the venue, it was a moment that few in the room will ever forget. Moreover, the fever of AMPAS members present to secure the perfect seat, to get as close as possible to an increasingly rare circumstance, was palpable. And, as Luhrmann noted, to applause, the movie’s narrative of a world fighting for diversity and inclusion makes “For Good” more timely than ever.
“For Good” is a smash hit at the box office, but critics were not as euphoric as the first installment. But demonstrated by the almost euphoric love for Chu, Grande, and Erivo, guild and Oscar voters may not care about the film’s Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes scores. With enough actor branch support, below-the-line votes from Costume, Makeup, Production Design, and Sound branches, as well as general musical lovers across AMPAS’ 12,000+ membership, it may have a fervent enough fanbase to repeat the first film’s Best Picture nomination.
At a minimum, tonight’s event demonstrated that Universal is making it absolutely clear they are still in the game. And there is a long, long way to go. Ignore them, and the power of “Wicked,” Grande, and Erivo at your peril.
“Wicked for Good” is now playing nationwide
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