Jonathan Bailey is keeping busy, juggling multiple major roles at once. The 36-year-old actor, known for his role in ‘Bridgerton,’ has been hard at work preparing for his part as Prince Fiyero Tigelaar in the upcoming ‘Wicked‘ film adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu. While rehearsing his considerable musical number, “Dancing Through Life,” Bailey simultaneously filmed scenes for ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Fellow Travelers’.
In an interview for PEOPLE’s ‘Wicked’ special edition, Bailey shared that he had to practice his ballroom dance moves for ‘Wicked’ during long-haul flights. He even has videos on his phone from these rehearsals, as he made the most of his travel time by rehearsing whenever possible. Bailey also recalled one travel mishap while flying from Canada: the airline lost his luggage. Luckily, his “magic dance boots” for *Wicked* were in his carry-on, so he could still practice Fiyero’s dance routine without his usual clothes.
The ‘Wicked’ movie, based on the popular Tony-winning Broadway musical, stars Bailey alongside Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the cast also features Ethan Slater as Boq, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Bronwyn James as ShenShen.
Bailey described his character, Fiyero, as privileged and finding life easy. He said Fiyero enjoys “riling everyone up” because he’s never met anyone who challenges him. Bailey, who began acting at seven with the Royal Shakespeare Company and later won an Olivier Award for his role in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Company,’ is now bringing his talents to the big screen with ‘Wicked,’ which will be released in two parts. The first part is set to hit theaters on November 22. Bailey’s dedication to perfecting his role in ‘Wicked’ while balancing other projects speaks to his commitment as an actor, making fans even more excited to see him in this long-awaited adaptation.
