Marissa Bode, star of Wicked, has addressed the negative comments and jokes circulating online about her character Nessarose’s disability, describing them as “aggressive,” “very gross,” and “harmful.”
In a five-minute video posted to TikTok on Friday, Bode—who uses a wheelchair both on screen and in real life—spoke out against the insensitive remarks about Nessarose, the younger sister of Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo).
“It is absolutely OK to not like a fictional character,” Bode stated. “I’ll admit my bias—I have different feelings about Nessa than many of you do, and that’s fine.
I think Nessa is complex, but that’s the beauty of art. Wicked and its characters wouldn’t be what they are without diverse opinions about who’s truly wicked. Not liking Nessa herself is OK. She’s fictional, so that’s totally fine.”
While Bode characterized herself as a “deeply unserious person” who enjoys “silly, goofy, harmless” jokes about Nessarose’s personality or actions, she drew a firm line against jokes targeting the character’s disability.
“Disability is not fictional,” Bode emphasized. “At the end of the day, I, Marissa, am a person who is disabled and in a wheelchair. Jokes about disability are low-hanging fruit, and too many people are comfortable reaching for them.”
Bode shared that ableist comments aren’t new to her, having heard similar remarks long before she was cast in Wicked. “Even before playing Nessa, I received comments as Marissa—like ‘stand up for yourself’ or ‘I guess you can’t stand him.’
These jokes aren’t original. When non-disabled strangers make jokes about not being able to walk, it feels like they’re laughing at me rather than with me.”
Wicked Star Marissa Bode (Photo: Universal Pictures)
She went on to describe how such remarks affect not only her but also the broader disabled community. “These comments don’t exist in a vacuum.
Aggressive remarks about pushing Nessa out of her wheelchair or suggesting she deserves her disability are gross and harmful—and they echo real-life experiences of disabled people, including myself.”
Bode urged viewers of Wicked to practice empathy and stop dismissing others’ experiences. “Don’t claim someone’s experience isn’t valid just because you don’t feel the same way about a joke that doesn’t target your demographic,” she said.
“Listen to the people affected. Thankfully, I’m at a point in my life where I can recognize these jokes as ignorance. But 10 years ago, it would have impacted me deeply. I worry that a younger version of me, or someone like her, is reading these comments online and feeling hurt.”
She concluded her video by tying her message to the themes of Wicked. “One of the central themes of Wicked is listening to and understanding one another. I hope many of you can practice that more and carry it forward.”
Bode’s portrayal of Nessarose marks the first time in Wicked’s history that the character is played by a wheelchair user. In an interview, Bode discussed how the two-part film adaptation adds depth to Nessarose. (Wicked: Part Two is set to release on November 21, 2025.)
“Wicked is a beautiful stage musical, but it doesn’t fully go through the bond between the two sisters or their love for one another,” Bode explained.
“The film captures those moments, making what happens in the second part even more heartbreaking. It humanizes Nessa, showing how much she cares about people. I think it was a great decision.”
