Overview
- Presented by the Media Access Awards and Easterseals, the honor was given to Bode in Los Angeles on October 8 by Cesily Collette Taylor, with Ali Stroker hosting, and the ceremony aired November 5 on PBS SoCal Plus.
- Bode is the first wheelchair-using actor to portray Nessarose, having debuted in Wicked: Part One (2024) and returning in Wicked: For Good, which opens November 21.
- In her speech, Bode said disabled performers should not be treated as a box to check and later emphasized she wants opportunities in roles that do not center on disability.
- Promoting the sequel, Bode told Us Weekly she is very nervous about performing the song The Wicked Witch of the East and discussed the film’s revised arc for Nessarose.
- At a Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica event tied to the film’s campaign, she urged moviegoers to round up ticket purchases through Fandango to support Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.