Have you ever wondered about the Wicked Witch of the East? I can see you’re frowning. You know — the very first character to disappear when Dorothy’s house lands in Oz. That’s a hard one, I know. You never get to see her standing up or living her life. By the time Dorothy arrives, her story is already over.

But in the movie Wicked, we meet Elphaba’s younger sister. She shines in the spotlight. Guess what, she is not the witch under the house at all. Her name is Nessarose, and she has something Dorothy never had. A wheelchair.

For ages, wheelchair users were seen as a sad little footnote in a story. But here’s the secret the movie wants you to notice: Nessarose is actually so kind. She’s scared, smart, and she’s trying her best in a world that doesn’t always make room for her.

And here’s the big deal. For over twenty years on stage, the role was almost always played by non-disabled actors. The film changed history by casting Marissa Bode — an incredibly talented actress who uses a wheelchair in her everyday life. She is the first wheelchair user to play Nessarose on the big screen.

Why does this matter? Imagine you’re seven or eight and you use a wheelchair, or you move through the world differently than your friends. You wait a little longer to get through the door. Sometimes the steps at the playground aren’t easy. Now imagine watching a movie and seeing a character played by someone who moves through the world just like you. Goosebumps, I know. Not a problem waiting for a cure — just a real person, right in the middle of a magical story.

For so long, disabled audiences could only watch fascinating stories without ever finding themselves inside them. But this time, something in so many young hearts whispered: “oh — this one is yours, too.” It’s the same, “awesome” feeling as hearing your name called in a room full of strangers. It softly tells you that you too belong in the story. You are not an afterthought. It’s your turn to be the brave, colourful, complicated sister.

Even better, the film re-examines how we view disability. Older versions of the story sometimes handed Nessarose a pair of magical shoes and let a spell lift her out of her chair, as if that was the whole fix. Here, a wheelchair is not a problem that magic needs to “fix.” Being disabled isn’t a flaw to be solved with a spell. That is a message every single girl deserves to hear.

So when watching Wicked, focus on Nessarose. Look at how she holds herself; listen to her. She never once needed rescuing — and that is exactly the point. Your difference is not a problem to be fixed with magic; it is part of what makes you, you. And when a story finally shows the truth?T hat’s when it stops feeling like it was made for everyone except you — and when you truly belong in the story.

-Helen Barnard
Volunteer Writer
Girl Museum