A nine-year-old girl from Huddersfield, Esme, who makes an appearance in the new Wicked movie, has expressed her awe at being granted a special screening of the film with her friends and family. Featured in a flashback scene as a child at a party in the recently released Wicked: For Good, after several days of filming in London, Esme was treated to a private viewing at a cinema in Birstall, Leeds on Friday.
As she walked in, she was greeted by a throng of family, friends, and classmates cheering her on. "There was a huge crowd here and they were all coming for me," she exclaimed. "I loved it. Everyone was cheering me on and I felt incredibly proud of myself."
The film was an unforgettable experience for Esme, who marveled at the presence of "big movie stars" and then saw herself on screen. "It was crazy," she said.
When Esme first auditioned for the part, she was not told what it would be for. "It was so unexpected because we were just in the middle of a normal afternoon after school and then we got this random phone call saying I'm in Wicked: For Good," she recalled.
Esme described the set as "a whole other world that felt so magical." Another "special moment" was meeting Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the film. The pop star surprised Esme and other children one day after they came back from lunch. "We were all screaming, it was so much fun," she said. "I actually had the chance to speak to her. I said, 'Ariana, you are amazing.' And she said, 'You're amazing too.' That was a very special moment."
Proud mother Shareen described Esme as "bursting with confidence" after the experience. "She's ambitious and naturally talented, so there's no doubt in my mind that the sky's the limit for Esme to be anything she wants to be," she said.
Jon Dixon, UK marketing director at Showcase Cinemas, said it was a "pleasure" to welcome Esme and her loved ones. "We love celebrating local talent, and hosting this private screening for her big moment made it even more special," he said.
