Marissa Bode calls out ‘Wicked’ fans who are joking about Nessarose’s disability
Following the premiere of Wicked, internet users have used ableist rhetoric to show their hate for Marissa Bode’s character, Nessarose. The actress has since come out to slam those who are joking about Nessaros’s disability.
In Wicked, Nessarose is Elphaba’s younger sister who is unable to walk. Instead, she uses a wheelchair to get around. She is notably the only character in the film to showcase any physical disability. Nessarose’s actress, Marissa Bode, is an actual wheelchair user and has been since she was 11 years old. Because of that, it makes sense as to why the hate against Nessarose (and the ableist comments that went with it) has stuck a chord with Bode. On TikTok, the actress has released a video addressing the hate train against the character.
Marissa Bode slams “Wicked” fans spewing ableist comments at Nessarose
On November 30, Bode took to TikTok to address fans who are hating on Nessarose and joking about the character’s disability.
While she has stated it is okay to not like Nessarose as a character because she is fictional. She is also okay with jokes about Nessarose’s actions and personality, reiterating the fact that she is not real. What is not okay, however, is making fun of and making aggressive comments about Nessarose’s disability.
“Aggressive comments and jokes about Nessa’s disability itself are deeply uncomfortable because disability is not fictional,” stated Bode on her TikTok. “At the end of the day, me, Marissa, is the person that is still disabled and in a wheelchair, and so it is simply a low-hanging fruit that too many of you are comfortable taking.”
The main reason Nessarose has been receiving hate is because, despite being Elphaba’s sister, she is never seen defending her sister. Instead, she watches as the other students at Shiz University belittle and mock Elphaba. On social media, there have been several comments about wanting to push Nessarose out of her wheelchair or stating she is wheelchair-bound because “she never stands up for Elphaba.”
She added that not only are the jokes unoriginal, but when jokes are made by strangers in which the punchline is about not being able to walk, “It very much feels like laughing at rather than laughing with.”
Bode explained further why such comments are wrong and harmful, stating, “Aggressive comments of wanting to cause harm and push Nessa out of her wheelchair, or that she deserves her disability, are two very gross and harmful comments that real disabled people, including myself, have heard before.”
Bode revealed she decided to make a video to stand up for her peers who are disabled, especially those who are victims of such comments. Oftentimes, disabled people are told to “just take a joke” and to endure the hate. Many have chosen to take a break from social media because of this. She asked fans to listen to disabled creators when they call out ableist comments and to stop making such jokes about not just Nessarose but disabled people in general.
In other news, Wicked Part Two will premiere on November 21, 2025.
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