Cynthia Erivo

Biography

Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo MBE(/əˈriːvoʊ/ ə-REE-voh; born 8 January 1987) is an English actress, singer, musician, and songwriter. Known for her work on both stage and screen, she is the recipient of several accolades and one of the few individuals nominated for an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award (EGOT), winning all but the Oscar. Erivo made her West End debut in the stage musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (2011), and her Broadway debut as Celie in the musical revival of The Color Purple (2015–2017). Erivo's work for The Color Purple won her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, as well as a Daytime Emmy Award. She expanded to films in 2018 with the crime thrillers Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. Erivo earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for portraying Harriet Tubman in Harriet (2019) and Elphaba in Wicked (2024), as well as a nomination for Best Original Song for the song "Stand Up" from the former. For reprising her role as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good (2025), she became the first black actress to be nominated twice for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards. On television, Erivo portrayed Holly Gibney in the HBO crime drama miniseries The Outsider (2020) and Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series Genius: Aretha (2021); the latter earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. As a singer, she has released singles and two solo albums in 2021 and 2025. Description above from the Wikipedia article Cynthia Erivo, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

The Daily Show

Late Night with Seth Meyers

All Movies (39)

Bad Fairies2027 · as Jayne Staplegun (voice)
Karoshi2027
Children of Blood and Bone2027 · as Admiral Kaea
Making Wicked: For Good2025 · as Self
The 99th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade2025 · as Self
Wicked: For Good2025 · as Elphaba
Wicked: For Good - A Sneak Peek2025 · as Self
Wicked: One Wonderful Night2025 · as Self
Making Wicked2024 · as Self
Henry Mancini: 100 at the Hollywood Bowl2024 · as Self
Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked2024 · as Self
Wicked2024 · as Elphaba
Drift2024 · as Jacqueline Kamara
Cynthia Erivo & Friends: A New Year's Eve Celebration2023 · as Self
Luther: The Fallen Sun2023 · as Odette Raine
Pinocchio2022 · as Blue Fairy
Cynthia Erivo: Legendary Voices at the Proms2022 · as Self
Needle in a Timestack2021 · as Janine Mikkelsen
Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration of the Iconic Broadway Score2021 · as Self
Chaos Walking2021 · as Hildy
The Boss Baby: Get That Baby!2020 · as Turtleneck Superstar (voice)
Shoshana Bean and Friends: An Evening of Broadway2020 · as Performer
Harriet2019 · as Harriet Tubman
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play2019 · as Eloise
The Rape of Recy Taylor2019 · as Rosa Parks
Cynthia Erivo: Live from Lincoln Center2019
Widows2018 · as Belle
Bad Times at the El Royale2018 · as Darlene Sweet
Forbidden2018
Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees2017 · as Self - Presenter
Lift2013 · as Lap Dancer
Blink Speed—
Prima Facie— · as Tessa Ensler
Talent Show—
Steel—
I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical— · as Chenice
Othello— · as Emilia
Carrier— · as Raylene
The Road Home— · as Miriam ‘Mama Africa’ Makeba

All TV Shows (60)

Variety & CNN Actors on Actors2025 · as Self
E.B. White's Charlotte's Web2025 · as Goose (voice)
Number One on the Call Sheet2025 · as Self
RoboGobo2025 · as The Slink (voice)
Celebrity Substitute2024 · as Self
Hollywood Black2024 · as Self
Simone Biles Rising2024 · as Self
Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter2023 · as Self - Roundtable Talent
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur2023 · as Dr. Ojo (voice)
Poker Face2023 · as Amber / Delia / Cece / Bebe Kazinsky / Felicity Price
Sherri2022 · as Self - Guest
The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self
Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge2022 · as Self
Roar2022 · as Ambia
Star Wars: Visions2021 · as Kratu (voice)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire2020 · as Self - Phone a Friend
The Outsider2020 · as Holly Gibney
The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
Amazing Saturday2018 · as Self
The Boss Baby: Back in Business2018 · as Turtleneck Superstar CEO Baby (voice)
American Idol2018 · as Self
Big Mouth2017
Genius2017 · as Aretha Franklin
Quotidien2016 · as Self - Guest
To Tell the Truth2016 · as Self - Panelist
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee2016 · as Self
Chewing Gum2015 · as Magdalene
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Musical Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
The Late Late Show with James Corden2015 · as Self
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
Chicken Shop Date2014 · as Self - Guest
Chicken Shop Date2014 · as Self - Guest (archive footage)
Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self
Broad City2014 · as Lisa
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: UNTUCKED2012 · as Self - Guest Judge
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars2012 · as Self - Guest Judge
The Voice2011 · as Self - Advisor
RuPaul's Drag Race2009 · as Self - Guest Judge
The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
Dancing with the Stars2005 · as Self - Guest
Project Runway2004 · as Self - Guest
Strictly Come Dancing2004 · as Self - Guest Mentor
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
The View1997 · as Self - Guest
The View1997 · as Self
The Daily Show1996 · as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
Live from Lincoln Center1976 · as Self
The American Film Institute Salute to ...1973 · as Self
Great Performances1971 · as Self - Performer
The Grammys1959 · as Self
Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Host
The Oscars1953 · as Self
Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee