Marissa Bode wasn’t naming any real-life names when she mentioned a “power-hungry dictator” during an appearance in the Wicked: One Wonderful Night special, but NBC curtailed her speech anyway.

Near the end of the two-hour broadcast, Bode, who plays Nessarose in the 2024 film Wicked and its soon-to-be-released sequel , introduces costar Cynthia Erivo ’s performance of “Defying Gravity.”

“Wicked is filled with so many incredible songs, but there is one that stands out. It’s connected with so many people from all over the world. I’m talking, of course, about ‘Defying Gravity,’” Bode said in the version of the special that aired on NBC and currently streams on Peacock . “The song is an ode to authenticity and about believing yourself, no matter what obstacles the world puts in

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