Bowen Yang Reflects on Watching Final Wicked Cut with SNL Costars: ‘We Were All in Shambles’

Bowen Yang Reflects on Watching Final Wicked Cut with SNL Costars: ‘We Were All in Shambles’

Bowen Yang, who stars as Pfannee in the new Wicked movie, shared a heartfelt story about his first time watching the film — and how it brought him and his Saturday Night Live castmates to tears.

Yang revealed that he saw the final cut of Wicked at a private screening in October, alongside his SNL colleagues, coinciding with Ariana Grande’s turn as host. “All of us were in shambles by the end,” Yang told PEOPLE. “Sarah Sherman was sobbing, and she was like, ‘I didn’t expect to love it this much.'”

He added, “The movie gets you. It flattens every demographic. Everyone is bowled over no matter what their expectations are going into it. I’ve never been a part of something like that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie with such a universal impact.”

A Special Connection to Wicked and SNL

Although the experience was deeply moving, Yang admitted he was hesitant to attend the screening at first. “I was so adamant about not going,” he explained. “I thought, ‘I need to see this for the first time with friends who aren’t professionally involved, so I can have a pure experience.’”

Ultimately, he changed his mind when he remembered the special connection Wicked and SNL have had in his life since he was 13.

“My first trip to New York was when I was 13, and Wicked had just come out,” Yang recalled. “I begged my parents to take me to the Gershwin Theatre just so I could touch the glass and look inside the lobby. We couldn’t afford tickets, but I just wanted to feel it in my hand and see the signs.”

That day also included another pivotal moment. “We went to 30 Rock and did the NBC studio tour. I sat in the seats at SNL,” he said. “If those two things happened on the same day back then, I felt like they needed to intersect one more time in my life.”

Bowen Yang Reflects on Watching Final Wicked Cut with SNL Costars: ‘We Were All in Shambles’

SNL Meets Wicked

Yang’s connection to Wicked came full circle during Ariana Grande’s hosting stint on SNL. The episode featured a skit where cast members impersonated celebrities auditioning for Wicked roles. Yang hilariously portrayed Fran Lebowitz and Charli XCX, while the real Charli XCX joined in as herself mimicking Troye Sivan.

Grande also referenced Wicked in her monologue, saying, “I’m not gonna talk about Wicked,” only to be interrupted by Yang dressed as Glinda. When she told him, “We cut the Wicked sketch,” Yang jokingly replied, “Oh — that’s okay, I didn’t want to do it anyway.”

A Full-Circle Moment

For Yang, watching the movie with his SNL family was a deeply personal and emotional experience. “It was so special,” he said.

Now playing in theaters, Wicked continues to captivate audiences, just as it did Bowen Yang nearly 20 years ago when he first glimpsed its magic from the outside looking in.

Catch Saturday Night Live when it returns on Dec. 7 with host Paul Mescal and musical guest Shaboozey.

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