Oscar-nominee Cynthia Erivo often finds herself playing strong characters who take a stand. She won a Grammy and a Tony for her work as Celie in The Color Purple on Broadway, received her first Oscar nomination for playing Harriet Tubman in 2019’s Harriet, and was Emmy-nominated for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the series Genius: Aretha. She’s currently up for Best Actress at the 97th annual Academy Awards which will take place on Sunday, March 2nd. The nomination spotlights her lauded turn as Elphaba (opposite Ariana Grande’s Galinda) in part one of the 2024 film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked.
Erivo sat down with Elvis at the Sundance Film Festival not long after receiving the nod. She tells us where she was when she heard the news, about using her voice (literally) for good, and why singing with a smile was so important while playing Aretha.
Elvis Mitchell and Cyntia Erivo. Photo credit: Shutterstock, Mark Von Holden