Margaret Hamilton played the part of the Wicked Witch in the 1939 film, and Erivo explained that she made a point to extend her character's green skin tone all the way down to her nails in order ...

"I was doing the research for this character, and I noticed that the original Wicked Witch had nails," Erivo said in a behind-the-scenes video shared exclusively with PEOPLE. "I wanted a progression.

Not only has she been doing her signature nails since she was 16, but she noted a photo of Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz”) on display at the Academy Museum.

When Wicked star Cynthia Erivo set ... How she grows as a witch and a woman. Some people wear makeup, I always have my nails done. It’s like another extended way of expressing myself," Erivo ...

Hamilton played the Wicked Witch in the legendary 1939 film adaptation ... It's the first time I realized, 'Oh, she has nails. That's something I can pull in to the look of her.'" ...