In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer — and on airplanes — to promote their hotly anticipated film.

Much rather in focus upon the release of the musical fantasy movie are the Glinda and Elphaba actors, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Emotional interviews have pushed the two further into the spotlight,