Judy Garland’s daughter, Lorna Luft, has been having her say on the monumental success of “Wicked.”
The sequel to the 2024 musical fantasy movie, “Wicked: For Good,” is currently in theaters, and Luft, 73, had an exclusive chat with E! News amid its release.
Luft’s mother, Garland, was, of course, best known for playing Dorothy Gale in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” which the “Wicked” movies are a modern reimagining of.
Lorna Luft Is ‘So Pleased’ for Everyone Who Worked on ‘Wicked’
“Wicked: For Good” has already shattered pre-sale records prior to its release, and debuted in theaters on Friday, November 21, to an excellent critical reception.
Success-wise, it looks to be continuing exactly where “Wicked” left off â and Lorna Luft told E! News that she couldn’t be happier for the cast and crew when speaking to the publication at the Red Diamond 95th Anniversary Gala at The Pierre Hotel in New York City on November 20.
Luft said, “I am so pleased for everyone on Wicked. John Chu is amazing. Cynthia [Erivo] and Ariana [Grande] and everybody in that film, they’re a separate entity, okay? And they have their own story and their own visit with Oz.”
She continued, “But I think they will agree with me. Jeff [Goldblum] and Michelle [Yeoh] and everyone affected by going to Oz and joining the Oz family is quite remarkable.”
Luft Believes the World Has L. Frank Baum to Thank for ‘Wicked’
There’s no doubt that Lorna Luft has a lot of love and admiration for the cast in the “Wicked” movies, but the actress â who appeared in the likes of 1982’s “Grease 2” and 1998’s “54” â says she ultimately thanks the author of the original novels for the goliath the franchise has become.
Luft said, “I think that we all have one person to thank, and that’s L. Frank Baum for writing the books.”
She was also asked about whether or not she plans on seeing “Wicked: For Good,” to which Luft enthusiastically replied, “Absolutely, yes!”
Luft also found the time to talk to E! News about the first time she saw her mother playing Dorothy in the iconic 1939 movie when she was a mere small child.
She recalled, “I remember that when I first saw it I was quite small. I didn’t see it on a color TV, so I didn’t quite [understand], but I understood those monkeys, and I got hysterical.”
Luft went on, “My mom was in New York, and she called and she got a hysterical child on the phone saying, ‘The monkeys took you to New York?!’ And she said, ‘I’m never letting the children see that movie without me ever again.’”
The actress’ encounter with E! News was a lovely insight into her thoughts of a franchise she was essentially born into as the child of such a legendary “The Wizard of Oz” star.
“Wicked: For Good” is in all major theaters worldwide right now.
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