By Hanna Rantala

LONDON, – ‘Bridgerton’ star Jonathan Bailey says playing Fiyero, a dashing country prince of Winkie, in the musical film ‘Wicked’ allowed him to return to his roots.

The British actor, who rose to worldwide fame with the hit Netflix Regency-era series, took ballet lessons as a youngster and began his career as a child actor in theater productions.

“reminded me of two things in the purest version of who I am. I loved dancing and I loved singing. And to be able to return to that, it all feels a little full circle,” he said in an interview.

“Wicked” is based on Stephen Schwartz’s musical of the same name, itself an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book. It tells the story of a young green-skinned woman, Elphaba, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West from the classic children’s novel ‘The Wizard of Oz’.

Pop star Ariana Grande plays the privileged and popular Glinda who meets Elphaba at Shiz University, where they also befriend Bailey’s Fiyero.

Bailey was filming “Fellow Travelers” in Toronto and “Bridgerton” in London when rehearsals for “Wicked” began and had to get creative to prepare for the film’s extended song and dance sequences. This meant practicing his steps and high leg kicks while eating while on a long-haul flight, the 36-year-old actor said.

Bailey said his “Bridgerton” experience helped him approach the highly anticipated production.

“I feel like I got good training for it,” he said.

“I think ‘Bridgerton’ was a movie adaptation that was so successful and brilliant and brilliant and a lot of people loved the books, but I think the images in ‘Wicked’ are so iconic, so it’s just a little bit different,” Bailey said , adding, “It’s exciting.” to share another fandom.”

The first chapter of the two-part ‘Wicked’ film series hits UK and US cinemas on Friday.

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