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English actress and singer (born 1987) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo (/əˈriːvoʊ/;[2] born 8 January 1987) is a British actress and singer. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017. She earned numerous accolades for her performance, including the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale.
Cynthia Erivo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Erivo in 2024 | |
| Born | Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo[1] 8 January 1987 |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Website | www |
For her portrayal of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet (2019), Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song "Stand Up" on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in the Best Original Song category. She has since starred as Elphaba in the musical fantasy film Wicked (2024).
Erivo had her first television role in the British series Chewing Gum (2015). She went on to star in the crime drama miniseries The Outsider (2020), and received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of American singer Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series Genius: Aretha (2021). She has also released several singles as well as a solo album, Ch. 1 Vs. 1 (2021).
Erivo was born on 8 January 1987[3][4][5][6] to Nigerian immigrant parents in Stockwell, London.[7] Her parents separated when she was very young.[3] Her mother, Edith, was a nurse, and was 15 when the Nigerian Civil War broke out.[8] Erivo also has a sister, Nicolette.[3][9]
She attended La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls' School in Clapham Park. As a child, she had roles in Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, and later appeared on television in Trust Me, I'm a Teenager.[3]
Erivo began a music psychology degree at the University of East London in 2004;[3] however, a year into her degree, she applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and transferred there upon acceptance.[10][11] She graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting in 2010.[3]
Erivo first appeared in roles on British television programmes such as Chewing Gum and The Tunnel. Her first stage role was in Marine Parade by Simon Stephens at the Brighton Festival.[12] Her first musical role was in John Adams' and June Jordan's I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky at Theatre Royal Stratford East.[13]
On Sunday, 9th December 2012, Cynthia appeared in Alexander S. Bermange’s and Stephen Clark’s Living Every Day, which was performed as part of The 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala at the Old Vic in London’s West End.
In 2013, Erivo played the role of Celie Harris in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of The Color Purple,[14][15] a role which Whoopi Goldberg had originated onscreen. Erivo had previously portrayed Sister Mary Clarence / Deloris Van Cartier in a UK tour of the stage musical Sister Act,[16] which Goldberg had originated in its film adaptation. She is also featured on the soundtrack to the musical drama film Beyond the Lights, co-writing and performing the song "Fly Before You Fall".[7]
Erivo originated the role of Chenice in the West End musical I Can't Sing!,[17] which opened at the London Palladium on 26 March 2014, garnering mixed reviews.[18][19] The production closed on 10 May, just six weeks and three days after its official opening night.[19][20] Erivo starred in the European premiere of Dessa Rose at London's Trafalgar Studios from July to August 2014, for which she was nominated as Best Leading Actress in a musical at the 2015 BroadwayWorld UK awards.[21]
She made her Broadway debut in the 2015 Broadway revival transfer of the Menier Chocolate Factory production of The Color Purple,[22] reprising her role as Celie Harris alongside American actresses Jennifer Hudson as Shug Avery and Danielle Brooks as Sofia.[23] The production began performances at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, from 10 December 2015.[24] Among other awards for her performance, Erivo won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Erivo starred as Cathy alongside Joshua Henry in a one-night benefit concert performance of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years on 12 September 2016. Proceeds from the performance went to the Brady Center, a national gun violence organisation.[25] In February 2017, at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Erivo performed "God Only Knows" alongside John Legend, as a tribute to musicians who had died over the past year.[26]
In March 2017, Erivo and the cast of The Color Purple were nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for their performance on NBC's The Today Show in May 2016.[27] In April 2017, it was announced that Erivo and the cast of The Color Purple alongside The Today Show won the Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award in the Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program category. In November 2017, she appeared on the charity benefit Night of Too Many Stars, hosted by Jon Stewart, where she performed a duet with frequent contributor Jodi DiPiazza of the Andra Day hit "Rise Up" they were accompanied by Questlove and The Roots.[28]
Erivo made her film debut in 2018 in the neo-noir thriller film Bad Times at the El Royale.[29] Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times deemed Erivo's performance "revelatory in the most rewarding sense".[30] That same year, she also starred in the heist thriller film Widows, which marked the first film she had ever shot.[31] In his review of the film for The Atlantic, David Sims highlighted Erivo's "incredible work" in portraying her character's dramatic transformation.[32] In 2019, Erivo produced and starred in the scripted science fiction thriller podcast Carrier, voicing the lead role of Raylene Watts, a long-haul truck driver transporting a trailer with "disturbing, mysterious contents".[33]
Erivo portrayed the title role in Harriet, a biographical film about American abolitionist Harriet Tubman.[34][35] The film began production in October 2018,[36] completed filming in January 2019, and was released on 1 November 2019.[37] Her performance earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama;[38] she also received a second nomination for Best Original Song for a song she co-wrote and performed for the film entitled "Stand Up".[39] In 2020, Erivo garnered nominations for two Academy Awards–one for Best Actress for her portrayal of Tubman and the other for Best Original Song for "Stand Up".[40]
In 2020, Erivo starred as investigator Holly Gibney in the HBO miniseries The Outsider, a television adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name.[41][42] That same year, she launched a production company named Edith's Daughter as well as signed a deal with media company MRC to develop television projects through the production company.[43][44] She appeared in the science fiction film Chaos Walking, based on Patrick Ness' novel The Knife of Never Letting Go, which was released on 5 March 2021.[45] Erivo portrayed singer Aretha Franklin in the third season of the anthology series Genius, which premiered in March 2021.[46] She released two songs titled "The Good" and "Glowing Up" to promote her debut studio album, Ch. 1 Vs. 1, which was released on 7 September 2021.[47][48] That same month, she joined the jury of the 78th Venice International Film Festival.[49]
In July 2022, Erivo performed as part of the BBC Proms, singing tributes to women who have inspired her.[50][51] Writing in The Times, John Bungey highlighted her performances of the songs "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Ain't No Way".[52] That same year, Erivo played The Blue Fairy in Disney's live-action film adaptation of Pinocchio, directed by Robert Zemeckis.[53] In 2023, she appeared in Luther: The Fallen Sun, a film continuation of the crime drama series Luther.[54]
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In the same year Erivo portrayed Jacqueline, a refugee during a war-torn Africa, in the movie Drift. Erivo said to have taken inspiration from her mother's experience as a refugee during the Nigerian Civil War for this role.[8] She was also a producer for the movie.
Erivo will portray Elphaba in a two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked for Universal.[55] The movies are directed by Jon M. Chu and see Erivo star alongside Ariana Grande in the role of Glinda, with Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz, Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Elphaba's sister.[56] The first film is set to be released on 22 November 2024.
She is also attached to produce and star in the science fiction film Blink Speed and a film adaptation of the podcast Carrier, reprising the role of Raylene.[57][58]
Erivo will star in an upcoming film adaption of the award-winning legal drama, Prima Facie, which addresses sexual assault. Written by Australian playwright Suzie Miller, it is best known for Jodie Comer's[59] performance at the West End in 2022. The screenplay was written by Miller,[60] and is in pre-production as of September 2024[update].[61][62] The film is being directed by Susanna White.[63]
Erivo is Roman Catholic.[64] She identifies as queer[65] and bisexual.[66]
In 2024, Erivo was appointed vice president of her alma mater, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[67]
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Widows | Belle | |
| Bad Times at the El Royale | Darlene Sweet | ||
| 2019 | Harriet | Harriet Tubman | |
| 2021 | Chaos Walking | Hildy | |
| Needle in a Timestack | Janine Mikkelsen | ||
| 2022 | Pinocchio | The Blue Fairy | |
| 2023 | Drift | Jacqueline | Also producer |
| Luther: The Fallen Sun | Odette Raine | ||
| 2024 | Wicked | Elphaba | |
| 2025 | Wicked Part Two † | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Chewing Gum | Magdalene | Episode: "Tolled Road" |
| 2016 | Mr Selfridge | Alberta Hunter | 2 episodes |
| The Tunnel | Mel | Episode #2.3 | |
| 2017–2019 | Broad City | Lisa | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | The Boss Baby: Back in Business | Turtleneck Superstar CEO Baby (voice) | Episode: "As the Diaper Changes" |
| 2019 | Anthem: Homunculus | Joan | 3 episodes |
| Sunny Day | Dr. Vanessa (voice) | 1 episode | |
| 2020 | The Outsider | Holly Gibney | Regular role (8 episodes) |
| James and the Giant Peach with Taika and Friends | Ladybird | 1 episode | |
| American Idol | Herself | Episode: "316 (On With the Show: Grand Finale)" | |
| 2021 | Genius | Aretha Franklin | Lead role (8 episodes) |
| RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself (judge) | Episode: "Henny, I Shrunk the Drag Queens!" | |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Herself (guest judge) | 2 episodes | |
| 2022 | Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock | The Archivist (voice) | Episode: "The Glow" |
| Roar | Ambia | Episode: "The Woman Who Found Bite Marks on Her Skin" | |
| 2023 | Star Wars: Visions | Kratu (voice) | Episode: "Aau's Song" |
| Blue's Clues & You! | Jingles (voice) | Episode: "Josh and Blue's Ice Cream Shoppe" | |
| Strange Planet | Dreamer (voice) | Episode: "Key Change" | |
| 2024 | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Dr. Akonam Ojo (voice) | Episode: "Make It, Don't Break It!" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Carrier | Raylene Watts | Regular role (6 episodes) |
| The Two Princes | Queen Malkia of the Midlands | Regular role (5 episodes) | |
| 2020 | Hank the Cowdog | Madame Moonshine | Regular role (6 episodes) |
| 2024 | George Orwell's 1984 | Julia |
| Year(s) | Production | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Marine Parade | Various | Brighton Festival |
| I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky | Leila | Theatre Royal, Stratford East | |
| 2011 | The Umbrellas of Cherbourg | Madeleine | Gielgud Theatre/ Curve Theatre |
| 2011–2012 | Sister Act | Deloris Van Cartier / Sister Mary Clarence | UK Tour |
| 2013 | Lift | Lap Dancer | Soho Theatre |
| The Color Purple | Celie Harris Johnson | Menier Chocolate Factory | |
| 2014 | I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical | Chenice | London Palladium |
| Dessa Rose | Dessa Rose | Trafalgar Studios | |
| 2014–2015 | Henry IV | Poins/The Earl of Douglas | Donmar Warehouse, London |
| 2015 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Rosemary Pilkington | Royal Festival Hall |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Puck | Liverpool Everyman | |
| 2015–2017 | The Color Purple | Celie Harris Johnson | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre |
| 2016 | The Last Five Years | Cathy Hiatt | The Town Hall |
| 2024 | A Little Night Music | Petra | Lincoln Center |
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Album Sales [68] | ||
| Ch. 1 Vs. 1 | 77 |
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Cynthia Erivo and Oliver Tompsett Sing Scott Alan (with Oliver Tompsett and Scott Alan) |
|
| Title | Soundtrack album details |
|---|---|
| Wicked: The Soundtrack (with Wicked Movie Cast and Ariana Grande) |
|
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| She is Risen, Vol. 2 (with Morgan James, Shoshana Bean, Debbie Gravitte, Bryonha Marie Parham, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Ann Harada, Tamika Lawrence, Bridget Everett, Marva Hicks, Eden Espinosa, and A Broader Way Choir) |
|
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Dig. [70] |
SWE Heat. [71] |
US Dig. [72] |
US R&B Dig. [73] | |||
| "Fly Before You Fall" | 2014 | — | 21 | Beyond the Lights (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||
| "God Only Knows" (with John Legend featuring yMusic) | 2018 | 20 | non-album single | |||
| "Stand Up" (from Harriet) | 2019 | 42 | 2 | 31 | — | Harriet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| "When You Believe" (with Shoshana Bean featuring Stephen Schwartz) | 2020 | — | — | non-album singles | ||
| "Chain of Fools" (from Genius: Aretha) |
2021 | — | ||||
| "The Good" | — | Ch. 1 Vs. 1 | ||||
| "Glowing Up" | — | |||||
| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Won't Let You Down" (Cynikal featuring Cynthia Erivo) |
2012 | Non-album singles |
| "I Did Something Bad (cover)" (Shoshana Bean featuring Cynthia Erivo) |
2018 | |
| "Together (Soundtrack from Year in Search)" (Peter CottonTale featuring Chance the Rapper, Cynthia Erivo, Chicago Children's Choir, and Matt Jones Re-Collective Orchestra) |
2020 |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hol. Dig. [74] | |||
| "Angels We Have Heard on High" (Lea Michele featuring Cynthia Erivo) |
2019 | 22 | Christmas in the City |
| Song | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Suddenly" | 2013 | Anderson & Petty | You Are Home: The Songs of Anderson & Petty |
| "Fly Before You Fall" | 2014 | N/A | Beyond the Lights (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| "Bridge Over Troubled Water" | 2016 | Alison Jiear | Inspirational |
| "Jump" | 2017 | N/A | Step (Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture) |
| "When You Wish Upon a Star" | Vera Lynn, Leigh Harline, & Manning Sherwin | Vera Lynn 100 | |
| "Alright" | 2018 | Anthony Ramos | The Freedom EP |
| "My Funny Valentine" | Billy Porter | Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers | |
| "Nobody" | Todrick Hall & Jade Novah | Forbidden | |
| "Si Pudiera Leer Tus Sueños" | N/A | Singing You Home: Children's Songs for Family Reunification | |
| "Hold On I'm Coming" | Bad Times at the El Royale (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||
| "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)" | |||
| "Angels We Have Heard on High" | 2019 | Lea Michele | Christmas in the City |
| "Goodbye Song" | Terence Blanchard | Harriet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |
| "I Don't Know How to Love Him" | 2020 | — | She is Risen: Volume One |
| "Winter Song" | Leslie Odom Jr. | The Christmas Album | |
| "Inside" | 2021 | Logic | Bobby Tarantino III |
| "Intro (feat. Cynthia Erivo)" | 2024 | Flo | Access All Areas |
Some of Erivo's accolades include:
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