In “Depraved: Half One” — which got here out in November of 2024, crushed the field workplace, and in the end earned a number of Academy Award nominations — Galinda Upland, performed by Oscar nominee Ariana Grande-Butera, arrives at Shiz College and is instantly, properly, “fashionable.” She’s additionally instantly flanked by two loyal cohorts, college students Pfannee and ShenShen (performed respectively by Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James), however how do they meet within the first place? In an especially temporary deleted scene from Jon M. Chu’s blockbuster movie, we see that, proper as Galinda will get to Shiz, she reunites with Pfannee and ShenShen. Type of.
Galinda, for her half, is approached by Pfannee and ShenShen with completely no thought who they’re, although Pfannee instantly explains that they met at a distinct college (particularly, a “twirling academy”). After all of them do some twirling routine to jog Galinda’s reminiscence, Galinda hugs them each and asks how they’re “in truth.” (“I have been by,” Pfannee responds, which is additionally the title of the episode of “Las Culturistas,” the podcast hosted by Yang and Matt Rogers, which options Grande-Butera because the visitor.) The scene provides the tiniest little bit of context to relationship we see Galinda, Pfannee, and ShenShen share — till Galinda unexpectedly befriends her ostracized, green-skinned roommate Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) — however who are these characters? Additionally, the place have you ever seen these actors earlier than, and what’s in retailer for Pfannee and ShenShen in “Depraved: For Good?”
Who performs Pfannee and ShenShen?
So who are Pfannee and ShenShen within the context of “Depraved?” In an interview with Perspective UK across the time of the movie’s launch, Bowen Yang mentioned that the movie’s director Jon M. Chu sat down with him and Bronwyn James to elucidate why they had been there, principally. “He is a giant believer in: there aren’t any small components,” Yang shared. “He is like: ‘they don’t seem to be the sidekicks or the homosexual greatest buddies – I believe there’s one thing deeper there.’ I believe we arrived at: ‘These are like Glinda’s publicists.'” (James continued, “They’re like: ‘You are going to be who and what we’d like you to be. In order that we will mooch off of you.'”) Finally, the 2 encourage Galinda’s worst tendencies at college. As Yang put it, “They’re motivating all these nefarious issues Glinda finally ends up doing within the movie, although she is sweet.”
So far as the performers behind Pfannee and ShenShen, you’ve got positively seen Yang in clips — or doubtlessly full sketches — as a performer on “Saturday Evening Reside,” the place he is been making us all chortle since 2019 (when he made his on-air debut after serving as a author). As talked about, Yang additionally hosts the brilliantly humorous “Las Culturistas” with Matt Rogers and has appeared in motion pictures like “The Misplaced Metropolis,” “Fireplace Island” (the place he turns in a genuinely beautiful, emotionally resonant efficiency), and “Bros” in addition to TV exhibits like “Girls5Eva” and “Fantasmas.” James is greatest recognized for her position within the British interval drama “Harlots,” which ran from 2017 to 2019, in addition to the Netflix drama “The Dig” and exhibits like “This Is Going to Damage” and “Masters of Air.”
Will Pfannee and ShenShen be in Depraved: For Good?
As of this writing, Bronwyn James and Bowen Yang are very possible slated to look within the second half of the story, “Depraved: For Good” (which just lately underwent a title change), set to launch in November 2025. Yang participated in a video interview with Collider on the Sundance Movie Pageant in January 2025 and mentioned what is perhaps subsequent for his character Pfannee in “Depraved: For Good,” confirming that he seems: “I’m in ‘Depraved [For Good] in a … enjoyable capability. I believe my character will get his simply desserts.” James has not publicly commented, nevertheless it stands to purpose that if Pfannee is there, ShenShen is as properly.
Based mostly on Yang’s feedback, it looks as if these two schoolyard bullies may get their comeuppance; they do encourage Galinda — who in the end adjustments and shortens her title to Glinda — to be imply to Elphaba earlier than they even converse to the green-skinned younger witch, and as Yang and James identified of their interview, they carry out the long run Good Witch’s unhealthy facet.
