'Wicked' Director Jon M. Chu Absent from LA Premiere as Fifth Child's Birth Coincides with Film Debut

On Thursday, Chu’s fifth child was born at the same time as the Los Angeles opening of his much-anticipated movie Wicked. This moment changed Chu’s life.

The event with many famous people was supposed to happen at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. But Chu, 45, was in the hospital with his wife, Kristin Hodge, when she went into labor around 4 a.m. Even though things didn’t go as planned, Chu stayed upbeat and sent a video message to the people at the premiere.

Chu made a funny reference to the time in his recorded message. He said, “I’m so sorry I can’t be there.” “I’ve waited three years to share our movie with you, but I’ve waited my whole life to have this moment with our fifth child.”

Later, the director wrote about how he felt on Instagram, saying it was a big day because his new movie and daughter were both born simultaneously. He joked with his fans that he wouldn’t name the baby “Galphaba,” the name of the main character in the movie.

Producer Marc Platt stepped in to talk about the movie and its stars. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who play Glinda and Elphaba, said nice things about Chu’s leadership. Grande called him “one of the most incredibly generous leaders” who makes the workplace safe and warm.

The Tony Award-winning Broadway show “Wicked” is based on Gregory Maguire’s book. The movie tells how the witches of Oz started by focusing on Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship. The film is set to come out on November 22, and a follow-up is already planned for November 21, 2025.

Before ending his video message, Chu thanked Universal Pictures and the original Broadway creative team. He ended with a sincere “Love you guys” and a kiss.