Why Jonathan Bailey Missed The 2025 Oscars (And What He’s Doing Instead)

Jonathan Bailey had a good reason for missing the 2025 Oscars, despite Wicked: Part One scoring an impressive 10 nominations. The 36-year-old actor was busy performing in Richard II in England, and his Wicked costar Jeff Goldblum made sure to give him a shoutout on the red carpet.

“He’s on stage right now in England, doing Richard II,” Jeff told E! News. “He’s a masterful, eighth-degree black belt actor.”

Jeff had nothing but praise for Jonathan, calling him an incredible performer and a standout in their film. “I adore Jonathan Bailey. He’s great in our movie. What a great actor.”

Jonathan’s packed schedule hasn’t slowed down one bit. After wrapping Wicked, he jumped straight into Shakespeare, and once Richard II ends in May, he’s set to lead the upcoming Jurassic World Rebirth, which is expected to hit theaters in June 2025. Jeff, who starred in the original Jurassic Park trilogy, showed his excitement for Jonathan’s next big role. “I’ll be the first person in line to buy tickets. I’ll see it many times,” he teased, also noting that the movie boasts a star-studded cast, including Scarlett Johansson.

While Jonathan couldn’t be at the Oscars, his Wicked costars made sure the film was well represented. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, both nominated for their performances in the Wizard of Oz prequel, attended the event alongside other cast members. The movie earned nods in several categories, including Best Supporting Actress and Best Costume Design.

This wasn’t the first major event Jonathan missed due to his theater commitments. He was also absent from the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards, despite being nominated in three categories — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Wicked, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Wicked, and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Bridgerton.

His deep theater roots have influenced his work in film, and he’s been open about how much he and Ariana connected over their shared love for the stage. During a joint interview with PEOPLE, Ariana reflected on their dynamic while filming Wicked. “I feel like we were both very theater children in the room. And we were very giggly together. That was the tough thing with us. We were the giggliest pair,” she shared.

Jonathan agreed, describing their energy on set as “incessant.” But Ariana saw their laughter as a positive force, saying it “carbonated our chemistry.” 

Even though Jonathan has been fully immersed in Richard II, his film and television work still play a major role in his creative process. He told the BBC that Succession’s Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his children inspired his approach to playing the complex Shakespearean king. “I channeled many Roys. [Richard II] explores inherited power in a very similar way to Succession, but also expands on it and takes it to a new level,” he said.