Why Wicked’s Marissa Bode Wants Her Casting to Set A New Precedent in Hollywood

“Growing up there wasn’t a lot of that for me,” Marissa continued, “but when I did see it it really did mean a lot. I was like, ‘Oh, it’s possible. There’s a place for me here.’”

And the Wisconsin-native—who became disabled at 11 as a result of a car accident—has been passionate about advocating for more representation in the future of Hollywood.

“Casting authentically and showing an authentic disabled person is very important,” Marissa told Variety in September, “but it’s also very important how we’re shown.”

“I think feeling less alone can help propel other disabled people to take action and feel like they can speak out about issues regarding accessibility and ableism that are unfortunately still prevalent in society today,” she continued. “Representation is just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to disability rights and the disability movement as a whole.”

Read on to see more of the stars that graced the Wicked red carpet.

(E!, Universal Pictures and Fandango are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)