The land of Oz just got a little more star-studded. Emmy-winning actor Colman Domingo has officially joined the cast of Wicked: For Good as the voice of the Cowardly Lion, Universal Pictures announced Monday, Oct. 20, in a joint Instagram post with Domingo and the film’s director, Jon M. Chu.
🎥 Watch the announcement here: Instagram Reel.
The reveal came as a surprise to fans, as Chu had recently teased in an interview with Deadline that audiences would have to wait until the movie’s premiere to discover who would voice the beloved character. “I wanted to keep this one a surprise,” Chu told the outlet, “but sometimes Oz has other plans.”
Domingo, 55, joins a powerhouse ensemble including Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.
Known for his captivating performances in The Color Purple, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Selma, and Sing Sing, Domingo has become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated talents. The two-time Academy Award nominee and Primetime Emmy winner was also named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024.
In Wicked: For Good — the second installment of Jon M. Chu’s sweeping adaptation of the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical — the story continues after the events of Wicked: Part One. Now branded as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba lives in exile in the forests of Oz while Glinda enjoys fame and adoration in Emerald City. But as tensions rise across the land, the two women must reunite to change their world — for good.
The announcement quickly lit up social media, with fans praising Chu’s casting choice and Domingo’s signature gravitas.
Wicked: For Good soars into theaters on November 21, 2025.
