Director Jon M. Chu missed 'Wicked' premiere to welcome fifth child
Jon M. Chu at the WSJ. Magazine 2024 Innovator Awards in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
“Wicked” director Jon M. Chu couldn’t attend the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, and the reason is quite “wonderful.”
Chu shared on his Instagram Stories that he and his wife Kristin Hodge welcomed their fifth child on Saturday, writing that he “can’t believe this happened while the movie is premiering.”
“Magic is in the air,” he wrote, sharing a photo of Hodge holding their newborn daughter.
He added a note to his new addition: “Welcome to our world, you’re gonna do great. You have a lot of witches on your side.”
“Wicked” stars singer Ariana Grande and Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo star as witches Glinda and Elphaba, respectively. The two-part movie is a cinematic adaptation of the famed Broadway musical, which is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” and tells an alternate version of events in Oz before Dorothy’s arrival.
Chu may not have been able to physically attend the premiere but his presence was felt.
According to footage from inside the theater posted online, a video of Chu speaking from the hospital was played before the movie began.
“I’ve waited for three years to have this moment to share a movie with you but I’ve waited my whole life to have this moment, to have a fifth child right now,” he said in the video, as the audience was heard collectively “aww-ing” at the sentiment.
With a laugh, Chu added that “of course, this little girl knows when to show up.”
Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum round out the ensemble cast.
Part one of “Wicked” will soar in theaters on November 22. The second film is expected in November 2025.
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