‘It Was Crazy’: Jonathan Bailey confesses he had just four days to prepare for Wicked: For Good

Jonathan Bailey has admitted he had only four days of rehearsal before stepping into the role of Prince Fiyero for Wicked: For Good, the blockbuster sequel to Universal’s adaptation of the beloved stage musical.

The actor, who has become one of Britain’s most sought-after stars, revealed that his packed schedule left him little time to prepare for the role, as he was simultaneously working on Netflix’s Bridgerton and the acclaimed drama Fellow Travellers.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bailey explained that a delay on Fellow Travellers - after co-star Matt Bomer contracted Covid - created a narrow window for him to join director Jon M. Chu’s ambitious two-part musical project. “It’s crazy to think I had four days of rehearsal when everyone else had a few months,” Bailey said. “But it’s amazing what you can do when you have experts around you. You have to go on instinct.”

Bailey first appeared as Fiyero in the 2024 film Wicked, but the sequel sees his character take centre stage, abandoning his engagement to Glinda (Ariana Grande) and declaring his love for Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). The film features the iconic duet As Long As You’re Mine, a pivotal moment that Bailey had to master in record time.

The actor described flying from Canada to London to meet Chu before returning to his other commitments. “I just knew what Fiyero was and what the opportunity meant,” he said. “I wanted to turn up and offer something that would preserve Cynthia and Ariana’s energy because it was such a massive slog for them.”

Despite the intense schedule, Bailey’s performance has been widely praised, with Wicked: For Good already breaking box office records and cementing its place as one of the highest-grossing musical films of all time.