The story of love and friendship between two legendary witches in ‘Wicked’ inspires real tears, both on and off screen.

The upcoming film, which will hit theaters on November 22, is the first of a two-part release and focuses on the relationship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) – sorry, Golinda – during their time at Shiz University.

During one scene, “there wasn’t a dry eye” in the audience, Hoda Kotb told Erivo and Grande in an interview that aired on TODAY, Nov. 14.

The party scene, set in the Ozdust Ballroom, marks a turning point in the friendship between Erivo and Grande’s characters, after Elphaba becomes the subject of ridicule. Filming the moment was as emotional as watching it, Erivo said.

“It was a really big day,” Erivo said. “Sometimes painful. Sometimes cheerful. It took a lot of courage, because everything is visible to everyone. It is a very vulnerable space to walk into.”

Elphaba and Glinda perform an emotionally charged dance scene during the ballroom scene. Erivo told Hoda and Savannah Guthrie that the cast provided a “wall of protection” at the time.

“I’m so grateful that I was able to do that and walk through the little wounds that I have, and the little wounds that Elphaba has, and put the spotlight on everything,” Erivo said.

Grande explained that the scene in the movie is 10 minutes long, and every time they filmed it, the scene was performed in full. During every take of that “12-hour day,” Grande said, “you could have heard a pin drop.”

“Every (supporting actor) in the room… every dancer, everyone stuck with us,” Grande said. “And I think all of our hearts are still kind of in that room.”

When the “extraordinary day” was over, Grande, director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt “just surrounded Cynthia,” she said.

“We just hugged her and said, ‘I think it’s time for bed,’” Grande said.

To play Elphaba, Erivo said she had to learn to wear her vulnerabilities on her sleeve, a contrast to her typical “caretaker” role in real life.

“All of Elphaba’s vulnerabilities really had to be on the outside – that’s what she’s in charge of,” Erivo said. “Even though there’s a kind of thin veneer that holds it together and security, there’s still this feeling that you’re not really sure, that you don’t really know yourself.”

To be present and vulnerable, Erivo and Grande discussed “taking care of each other” before filming.

“We had never met before. And when we found out we were cast, we spent some time together, sitting on my floor in my house and chatting. And it was easy,” Erivo said of their first meeting.

“And we had a very real conversation in the beginning about caring for each other,” Grande added. “And if there’s anything, tell me.”

The two said they came to an agreement: “If there’s something going on in your world that’s taking up too much space on a big day, like every day on this set, I can save some of it for you, with you, and vice versa,” Grande explains.

“We just wanted to…” Grande added, before Erivo finished the sentence.

“Be there for each other,” she said. “Make space for each other.”