Where had we already seen Cynthia Erivo?

The world has finally discovered Cynthia Erivo. Playing Elphaba in the brand-new (and very well-reviewed) Wicked, the British actress already has a brilliant career behind her, but it's thanks to the musical that she's gained the international success she's worked for so many years to achieve. While her co-star, Ariana Grande, can count on a huge fanbase from the music world, admiration for Cynthia has only just begun — or so it might seem at first glance.

Cynthia Erivo, Career and Movies up to Wicked

The first awards and recognition actually came in 2015, with the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. In 2016, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. Her film journey began in 2018 with the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. In 2019, she starred in Harriet, a biopic about Harriet Tubman, earning her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. It's not just theater and film for her; her career includes a bit of TV as well: do Chewing Gum, The Outsider, and Genius: Aretha ring any bells?

Her Social Media Presence is Controversial, So is Her Love Life

Even if she escaped your notice before, now Cynthia is on everyone's lips. As a result, fans of the movie (and her critics) have started digging into her history, including her love life. Gossip experts suggest that Erivo started a relationship with screenwriter, actress, and producer Lena Waithe, effectively ending her marriage to Alana Mayo. Additionally, Erivo has made headlines with several controversial posts aimed at fans. The most recent was a reaction to those who, a few weeks ago, altered the Wicked poster to make it look more like the original musical. Her protest was seen as overly dramatic.

Her Relationship with Ariana Grande

This experience, in addition to making her famous, brought her closer to her Glinda, Ariana Grande. The two are often seen posing together, using their characters' colors in all interviews and appearances, and talking about the strong connection they developed on set, almost as strong as the one between their characters in the magical world of Oz. Their way of holding hands (or rather, just fingers) has even spawned countless memes. We'll see them on screen together again in a year for the second part of the franchise. Who knows how many more great moments they'll give us together!