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When it was announced that Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the hit musical Wicked was going to split the two acts into two separate films, theater lovers were hesitant, to say the least.

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If you didn’t know, Wicked is known for having a weaker second half, with most of the musical’s biggest songs, like “Defying Gravity” and “Popular,” taking place in the first act. The plot also becomes much darker in the second act, and complaints have been made over the years about plot holes and unsatisfactory character development.

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So when Wicked’s sequel, Wicked: For Good, premiered last week, it’s perhaps unsurprising that it failed to reach the same dizzying levels of fan adoration and critical acclaim as the first film.

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In fact, social media has been dominated by discourse about how disappointed viewers have been with the film, and everything from the lighting to the performances has been heavily criticized online, with one of the biggest sources of criticism being Michelle Yeoh’s performance as Madame Morrible.

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It’s worth noting that Michelle also appeared in the first film, but her role is much more prominent in the second half, and the character of Madame Morrible also has more to sing in the second act of the musical, and this is where most people have found problems with her performance.

But amid all the scrutiny, some people have recalled that Michelle has always been incredibly open about the fact that she can’t sing, and even warned Jon about this when he wanted to cast her in the role.

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During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last year, Michelle told the host that Jon called her to tell her he wanted her to play Madame Morrible without her even auditioning. She said: “He called me and said, ‘I’d like you to read the script, I’d really love for you to play Madame Morrible’. And I said, ‘Okay.'”

“And then I read it. I know The Wizard of Oz very well, but I hadn’t seen the musical Wicked. I call him and say, ‘Jon, my love, it’s a musical, and I don’t sing.’ Not properly or professionally or anything like that,” Michelle continued. “Then, in typical Jon fashion, he says, ‘Don’t worry.’ I swear to God this guy is a visionary and can convince you to do the impossible.”

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Despite Jon’s unwavering faith, Michelle admitted she still wasn’t sure, sharing, “I’m starting to reflect on it and think, ‘How can I do this?'” Ultimately, Michelle agreed to sign up for the film when Jon called her with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who play the film’s leads. He recalled that the two stars told him: “It is imperative and important that you join us now.”

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But being on set with Ariana and Cynthia only made Michelle more nervous when it came time to sing, with Michelle telling Stephen, “When I had to sing, I have to say, I was terrified. These two girls. Damn! They sing live! Cut me some slack, please. When we started my song with Cynthia Erivo, I was literally screaming.”

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He added that Cynthia then gave him a pep talk, which was what gave him the confidence to sing live. It’s worth noting that Michelle even joked in a separate interview with Variety that she actually thought they were going to change her when they heard her sing.

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So, with all this in mind, people feel bad that Michelle is receiving so much criticism for her singing now. One tweet that has received more than 28,000 likes reads: “It pisses me off even more knowing that Michelle Yeoh literally told Jon M Chu that she’s not a singer and they cast her anyway.”

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