“Wicked” Cinematographer Alice Brooks Reflects on five-Year Journey From Target Commercials to Oz
London, England – Alice Brooks, the cinematographer behind the highly anticipated “Wicked” films, has revealed the remarkable five-year path that led her to helm the visual storytelling for the dual adaptations. Brooks’ journey,detailed in a recent profile,underscores the power of perseverance and the collaborative spirit fostered by director Jon M. Chu.
Brooks’ connection with Chu began after she initially attempted to leave the film industry six months after expressing her desire to do so. Chu, then in pre-production for “Crazy Rich Asians,” reached out to her, requesting a meeting with Dana Fox, co-creator of Chu’s upcoming series “Home Before Dark.” She secured the position and, upon meeting Chu in Vancouver to begin filming, was immediately invited to join his next project, “In the Heights.”
“‘Crazy Rich Asians’ had come out,” Brooks recounted, “and he suddenly had power to say who he wanted.” And Brooks was his choice. Chu praised her ability to balance expertise with openness, stating, ”I like being around someone who knows exactly what she’s doing but is open to other ideas. We call each other out and we get to paint together.”
Her work on “In the Heights” subsequently led to an invitation from Lin-Manuel Miranda to shoot “Tick, Tick… Boom!,” the autobiographical musical by Jonathan larson. Shortly after, Chu informed her of his team’s next venture: “Wicked.”
Brooks described Chu’s team as “like family,” noting that members,including herself and choreographer Scott,had even collaborated on a Target Christmas commercial. Filming both “Wicked” movies concurrently over 155 days provided Brooks with unprecedented resources – including a team of 200 – and the possibility to realize her creative vision as a cinematographer.
“jon encourages every single person on his to dream bigger and better than before,” Brooks said. “He wants you to go out and be your ultimate creative self.”
The production wasn’t without its challenges. Lighting scenes with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo required constant adjustments to accommodate their differing needs. A larger-than-anticipated Oz set necessitated logistical adjustments to accommodate cameras and a subsequent increase of 100 dancers. Brooks recalled a moment of problem-solving with Chu on set, where he laughed and remarked, “it’s just like film school.”
As the ”Wicked” chapter closes, Brooks is now working on “spiderman: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” her frist animated feature, slated for release in 2027, and scouting locations for a Colman Domingo project about the relationship between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr. Notably, one location was the historic Ebell, the association that had previously awarded her a scholarship.
Reflecting on her decades-long career, Brooks shared advice she received early on: “Trying to make it in Hollywood…is like trying to get to the other side of a brick wall by throwing stones at it. At some point you will get tired and, seeing that you have made only the tiniest hole, you will want to quit.” She concluded, “That’s the moment when you have to keep going.”
