Wicked star Jeff Goldblum dishes on working with "sex god" Jonathan Bailey and reacts to Netflix's Kaos cancellation

This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.

Known for starring in blockbusters such as Jurassic Park, The Fly and Independence Day, Jeff Goldblum’s latest role sees him playing one of the most famous characters in film: the Wizard of Oz. He first appeared as the charlatan using smoke and mirrors to rule the Emerald City in last year’s Oscar-winning movie Wicked, an origin story based on the West End and Broadway musical. Now, Goldblum is reprising his role for the sequel Wicked: For Good.

Were you a fan of the original 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, or the theatrical version of Wicked, before getting this role?

That movie has slayed me since I was a kid. Those songs, and the way Judy Garland sings them: she was so gifted. It’s a foundational fairy tale, and there’s something about that phrase, “There’s no place like home” – which maybe means your subconscious life, or your dream life – it grabs the heck out of me. I saw the Broadway show 20 years ago and I was already mushy just seeing the pictures in the lobby. By the end, I was a mess.

You have a fantastic set piece in the new film, singing and dancing with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who play Elphaba and Glinda. Was that fun to do?

So much fun. I’ve seen a lot of movies made of musicals, and you can really go wrong, but with that number the thrill of a stage show is mashed with cinematic, naturalistic acting and storytelling in a way that I’ve never seen before. The fans will go wild for it, but also I think it has a degree of difficulty –as they say in Olympic gymnastics – that may be underappreciated.

Were you nervous about performing with two hugely successful professional singers?

There’s a responsibility and some nerves. Everybody cares so much about this phenomenon of a show. It wasn’t the easiest thing to make into a movie, but they found something that hit the bullseye, and people love it so much, so I was very conscientious. I’m always bushy-tailed about acting, but on this one especially, you really don’t want to let the side down.

You’re a very musical person, though, aren’t you?

I play piano every day of my life, and I’ve snuck it into some movies, and now I play in a jazz band as often as we can. We’ve played at Glastonbury, Ronnie Scott’s [in London]… and we’re on our fourth album. I was on The Graham Norton Show a few years back, the great Gregory Porter was a guest and he asked if I wanted to play piano for him, so I did.

I read that you made friends with Stephen Fry, too. Do you like British people?

I’m enamoured of them. My first job was The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare, of course. I was in The Tall Guy, which was Emma Thompson’s first movie. Jurassic World: Dominion was shot here. I’ve read all of PG Wodehouse and I met Dudley Moore once. I have a lot of connections and I’m definitely an Anglophile.

Your Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey has been named People magazine’s “sexiest man alive”. Back in the day, you were well known for taking part in sexy photoshoots, with your shirt unbuttoned to your navel — have you passed the baton on to him?

No, I never had the baton. My humility doesn’t allow me to accept that. Possibly I may be to some people’s taste, but I sit at his feet, he’s a sex god. I have no competition with Jonathan Bailey at all – or anybody for that matter.

You’re still the world’s coolest man, though…

Well, what is cool? I know I’ve had a fun time playing scientists. Scientists at one time would have been considered uncool, but my dad was a doctor and I always admired that expertise, so it was kind of fun for me to go, “Hey, maybe I can bring some jazz to this.” I don’t try to be cool, but the coolness of jazz thrills me.

A lot of people talk about how nice you are in real life – but would you ever like to play someone really bad?

Well, I played the devil [in Mister Frost], but I guess he had a bit of jazz hands, huh? I don’t know, I just like to play characters who think and do things that are different from my own personality. But I think my character as the Wizard of Oz is neither all good nor bad. Everybody’s a little complicated.

You starred in the drama series Kaos last year, but it has been cancelled by Netflix. Were you disappointed?

You never know when something is ready for its time. Martin Scorsese says that some of his movies worked, some didn’t, and it may have been the wrong time, who knows? I liked what we did. I had a ball, and I liked that character and I think we made something good.

You have a great CV, but is there still a role on your bucket list?

I’m sure there are many parts. There are directors I have a big appetite to work with. A lot of female directors are having a moment: Jane Campion, Lynne Ramsay, Sofia Coppola, Rebecca Miller. I feel like my best work is ahead of me, if I’m lucky enough to get an opportunity or two. I seem to be in a fertile state – unexpectedly, deliciously and gratefully.

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Wicked: Part I is available to stream on Prime Video. Wicked: For Good is currently showing in UK cinemas.

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