# @uwmadison on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DFxuXsFOzp5
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/26519305-uwmadison-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8d927fdf9c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-02-07T15:39:38.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UW–Madison (@uwmadison) — https://gondola.cc/uwmadison

## Caption

Actress Marissa Bode brought #Wicked star power and a platform of authentic representation to Memorial Union this week, telling the #UWMadison’s Black History Month keynote crowd that she feels a responsibility to use her newfound platform as a force for good.

In “Wicked,” marissa_edob plays Nessarose, the sister of Wicked-Witch-to-be Elphaba. The character of Nessarose uses a wheelchair and Bode is making history as the first actress who uses a wheelchair to play the role.

“Whether you are disabled or whether you are a person of color, your lived experience in that identity will always add something special and unique to that role. And so I think specifically casting somebody with a disability in a disabled role is very important to add that extra layer because nobody knows us better than us,” Bode said.

A special thanks to the student-led Black History Month Planning Committee for bringing marissa_edob to campus and for their collaboration with the uwmadisonbcc to coordinate this month’s #UWBHM celebration and event programming.

For more events and community, tap our link in bio or visit go.wisc.edu/bhm

📸 Bryce Richter

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 4,497
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 15

## Tags

uwmadison, wicked, uwbhm

---
Copyright (c) Gondola