Colman Domingo Confirms He’ll Play The Cowardly Lion In ‘Wicked: For Good’

After months of fan theories and casting rumours, it’s official: Colman Domingo will be the Cowardly Lion in Wicked: For Good — much to the excitement of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

On Wicked’s socials, a video of Domingo hiding behind a plush lion, doing a reveal of face while surrounded by more toy lions, was uploaded.

“See you in Oz,” said Domingo with a wink at the end of the video. 

 

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Colman Domingo approached for Wicked role on Instagram

The director for the highly-anticipated sequel, Jon M Chu, told Deadline that he approached Domingo for the role of the Cowardly Lion on Instagram.

“I was like, ‘It’s not a ton of lines, but maybe you have a little time. I know you’re busy. I’ll come to you,'” Chu said, according to Deadline. ” Domingo responded, ‘Why the fuck not. Let’s go!'”.

Domingo joins Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, as well as  Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.

LGBTQIA+ community celebrated Domingo’s Wicked casting

Domingo’s addition to the cast lands with extra resonance for queer audiences, given that he’s a celebrated openly gay, Black actor stepping into a beloved character from Oz.

Fans are flooding social media with their praises of him and impatience to see him as the Cowardly Lion on the big screen.

Beyond the joy, there’s also lovely symbolism of a queer actor playing a character defined by journey to bravery.

Wicked: For Good is set to release in Australia on 21 November 2025, and the lead-up has been busy. The franchise has been sharing updates with its fans, including new teasers, a “final” trailer, and new character posters, as well as the first look at the Cowardly Lion. 

With the release date fast approaching, viewers can expect Wicked: For Good to be bolder, prouder, and packed on opening day.