Cynthia Erivo: podcast appearances and interviews

Cynthia Erivo is a British actress and singer born on January 8, 1987. She has established herself in both stage and screen performances. Erivo made her West End debut in the musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in 2011 and later debuted on Broadway as Celie in The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017. Her performance in The Color Purple earned her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, as well as a Daytime Emmy Award. She expanded her career into films in 2018 with roles in the crime thrillers Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. Erivo received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in Harriet (2019) and was again nominated for an Oscar for her role as Elphaba in Wicked (2024). Additionally, she was nominated for Best Original Song for 'Stand Up' from Harriet and for her role as Elphaba in Wicked, she became the first Black actress to be nominated twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Her rendition of 'Defying Gravity' from Wicked with Ariana Grande won her a second Grammy Award. On television, she portrayed Holly Gibney in HBO's The Outsider (2020) and Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's Genius: Aretha (2021), earning an Emmy nomination for the latter. As a vocalist, Erivo has released singles as well as two solo albums, in 2021 and 2025. Her achievements have been recognized with her appointment as Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2026 for her services to music and drama.