Cynthia Erivo is a multi-hyphenate tour de force who captivates audiences with her award-winning music and acting, both on the stage and the screen. Erivo has an uncanny ability to shape and drive narratives across entertainment while continuously evolving her body of work with poignant breakthrough characters that hit emotional cores and transcend race, gender, and cultural boundaries.

Erivo stars as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande's Glinda in the highly-anticipated film adaptation of the musical Wicked directed by Jon M. Chu. Wicked: Part I debuted in November 2024, and Part Two will follow in November 2025.

In 2023, she produced and released her first film under her production company, Edith's Daughter - a riveting film about a Liberian refugee in Greece called Drift, directed by Anthony Chen.

In 2021, Erivo was nominated for an Emmy® for her critically-acclaimed portrayal of Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's Emmy-winning global anthology series Genius: Aretha. This season is the first-ever, definitive, and only authorized scripted limited series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul. That same year, she released her debut album, Ch. 1 Vs. 1.

In 2019, Erivo received two Oscar® nominations—one for her role as Harriet Tubman in the Focus Features biopic Harriet, and the other for the film's title track "Stand Up," which she co-wrote. Her prolific performance as the American hero abolitionist also garnered nominations from the Golden Globes®, Screen Actors Guild, and NAACP Image Awards. Erivo enthralled audiences in 2016 with her revelatory and star-making turn as "Celie" in the hit Broadway revival of The Color Purple, for which she won a Tony®, Emmy®, and Grammy®. Beyond her influential and critically acclaimed performances, Erivo is a fearless voice for women and people of color who raises awareness and sets new standards for diversity across the arts.

Erivo released her first children's book titled, Remember to Dream, Ebere. The book follows a young girl named Ebere whose mother encourages her to dream as big as possible. Erivo wrote the book as an ode to a child's imagination, a parent's love, and the big dreams shared by both. Her passion for empowering others resounds as loudly as her award-winning voice.

Erivo brings a graceful yet powerful presence to every speaking engagement—delivered through her vocal genius or a dynamic speech. From moderated Q&As to master classes on her artistic craft or even a financial literacy session on the "business of the business," Erivo illuminates a path that others can follow. She leaves both colleges and corporations with a memorable experience and an insightful message.

More About Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo is a Grammy® Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actress, singer, and producer, as well as an Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, and SAG nominee. Erivo burst onto West End and Broadway stages in The Color Purple and has since taken the world by storm.

In addition to her illustrious acting career, Erivo is a Grammy®-nominated songwriter, and performer who headlines sold-out shows, symphonies, and music spaces, such as the Kennedy Center Honors, the 2020 Academy Awards, the 2017 Governor's Ball, and the 2017 Grammy Awards.

In August 2020, Erivo launched her production company, Edith's Daughter, and announced her first-look deal with MRC Television & Civic Center Media. Edith's Daughter focuses on projects that express the beauty in the stories and people who are often overlooked and underrepresented. Erivo named Solome Williams as Vice President of the company.

Erivo starred in Disney's live-action retelling of Pinocchio. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Erivo took on the iconic role of the Blue Fairy. She also appeared in Apple's Roar, an anthology series of darkly comic feminist fables. It was also announced that Erivo will produce and star in a biopic about Sara Forbes Bonnetta, a 19th-century Nigerian princess who was "gifted" to Queen Victoria after being liberated from slavery.

It was announced that Erivo will star in and produce a remake of The Rose with Searchlight. While the new production will pay homage to the classic film, Erivo's take on the story will put a contemporary lens on the high price of fame. Erivo also stars opposite Idris Elba in Luther, as Elba reprises his role from the BBC drama series written and created by Neil Cross. The film is currently in production and is directed by Jamie Payne.

Erivo also starred in the HBO series The Outsider, which premiered on January 12, 2020, and garnered a record 19 million viewers in the first four episodes. The series is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and follows an unorthodox investigator and seasoned cop as they investigate the gruesome murder of a local boy.

In 2019, Erivo starred in Kasi Lemmons' Harriet, where she brought the legacy of Harriet Tubman to the big screen. Focus Features released the film in theaters on November 1, 2019, and Erivo's performance was met with critical acclaim. Additionally, Erivo lent her voice to the movie's title song, "Stand Up," for which she co-wrote. "Stand Up" won "Best Original Song" at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Both Cynthia and "Stand Up" were nominated for two Academy Awards as well as two Golden Globe Awards in the categories of "Best Actress in a Motion Picture –Drama" and "Best Original Song" respectively. Additionally, "Stand Up" received a nomination for a Grammy Award In the category of "Best Song Written for Visual Media." The film also garnered ten NAACP nominations as well as AAFCA and Society of Composers & Lyricists Award wins.