After what seems like an eternity, the highly anticipated Wicked movie has finally arrived. Jon M. Chu's film adaptation of the popular stage musical, which itself is a loose take on Gregory Maguire's novel imagining the events before the classic Wizard of Oz story, premiered on Friday. This marks 14 years of development, nearly two years of movie-related gossip, and nine months of official promotion. The entire rollout has been elaborate and widespread, with numerous standard Q&As and unique press-cycle stops like stars eating extremely hot wings or taking lie-detector tests.

Unraveling the Emotional Journey of Wicked

The Stars' Bond

Seriously, when you ask the co-stars about each other, it's almost guaranteed that you'll be greeted with tears before getting an answer. In every online clip and interview where the stars promote Wicked, they can be seen holding hands and talking through tears about their deep affection. Here's them getting emotional during their Vanity Fair lie-detector test when Grande confesses that Erivo is her favorite collaborator. And when asked how they've changed each other, they cry again. Even when not talking about each other, like when Grande cried discussing the importance of using her full name in the credits or when Erivo received praise from a fellow performer, the waterworks flow.There's a simple explanation for all this emotion. Grande and Erivo have offered one reason on the red carpet, proclaiming, "It's been three years, people!" and explaining that they've had to repress many emotions during that time. But there's another aspect too.

Theater Kids and Their Ways

Theater kids are exactly what their name suggests and more. They are typically teens who are passionate about theater, especially musicals, and participate in school stage productions. They are often maligned because their big personalities and talents that shine on stage translate differently off-stage. Remember flash mobs? That was peak theater kid behavior. Theater-kid mentality is based on the belief that their talents are worth seeing in any situation. As a result, they tend to be over-the-top, highly emotional both privately and publicly, and not afraid to break into song or be silly.Grande herself was a theater kid. She charmed in a local production of Annie at 8 and landed her first big gig at 15 in the Broadway musical 13. Though she moved to the screen and became a pop star, she remains known for her love of the stage. She is also a mentee of Kristin Chenoweth and has shown a deep knowledge of music. Her relationship with Ethan Slater further proves her theater-kid status.Erivo is also a true theater kid. She has a bachelor's degree in acting and a deep history of stage performance, including a Tony Award. Her reaction to fan art shows her passion and unapologetic nature.

The Drama Unfolds

Divorces, public rants, and tears – it's all part of this subculture. Causing relationship drama and having strong opinions about how one is perceived in the art form they love is common among theater kids. So, the next time you see Wicked red-carpet weeping, remember that it's all part of the theater kid experience.