Southend dance teacher in new film Wicked with Ariana Grande

The film, an adaptation of the stage musical, tells the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz and is set to be released this Friday.

Lily Field, 31, is a dance teacher at WD Studios in Southend and has been dancing her whole life.

WD Studios is a family-run dance school in Southend that was formed by Lily’s mum, Lorraine, back in 1991. 

Star - Lily Field features in the new Wicked film (Image: Lily Field)

Lily got the call from the choreographer back in 2023, with rehearsals and filming starting soon after. The 31-year-old is a featured dancer in the movie, being Elphaba’s beautician in the Emerald City salon, and also dancing as a citizen of the Emerald City.

She was able to work closely with the likes of Ariana Grande, which was an experience she will never forget.

Lily said: “It was a really exciting project to be on, it was so fun, and I loved working closely with Ariana and Cynthia.

Amazing - Lily Field is a dance teacher in Southend (Image: Lily Field)

“I am really excited for the release on Friday, and for everybody to see how incredible this film is.

“I went to the screening in Leicester Square earlier in the week, and it was a truly magical film.

“Ariana is so lovely. She is so funny and cool.

“I always want to inspire my students and show them that they can really do anything.” 

Support - Some of Lily's dance students (Image: Lily Field)

The highly anticipated film Wicked: Part One is set to premiere in the UK on Friday.

The film is the first instalment of a two-part series, with Wicked: Part Two scheduled for release in November 2025.

Some of the main cast include Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, and Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz.

Lily’s mum, Lorraine, added: “We can’t wait to see Wicked and have tickets booked for Friday.

“It will be amazing to see Lily on the big screen in such an epic film.

“With her knowledge and expertise, the children she trains at WD Studios have all excelled and complete and perform at a very high level.

“Lily is an inspiration to all her students. It is so wonderful for them to see that with hard work and commitment your dreams can come true.”