Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose in the Wicked movie, has spoken out against harmful jokes about her character’s disability.
Bode, a wheelchair user, addressed the issue in a TikTok video following the film’s Nov. 22 release, saying the comments have been “deeply uncomfortable.”
While Bode said it’s fine to dislike a fictional character, she criticized ableist jokes targeting Nessarose’s inability to walk, noting they mirror real-world prejudices.
She pointed to comments like wanting to harm the character or saying she “deserves her disability” as particularly harmful.
“When these jokes are being made by nondisabled strangers with a punchline of not being able to walk, it very much feels like laughing at rather than laughing with.”
She urged fans to be more considerate and to listen to disabled voices, highlighting Wicked’s themes of understanding and compassion.
Folks in the comments praised her for her professionalism in calling people out for bad behavior, while acknowledging that she shouldn’t need to be so even-tempered in the face of such comments.
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Many praised her for her nuanced interpretation of a complex character in the film.
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Others chimed in with their thoughts on the character.
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People agreed that commenters are way out of line.
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Several disabled commenters thanked her.
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Wicked came out in theaters on November 22nd.
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