Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo (; born 8 January 1987) is an English actress, singer, and songwriter. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Grammy Award and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Erivo began acting in a 2011 stage production of ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg''. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of ''The Color Purple'' from 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film ''Widows'' and the thriller ''Bad Times at the El Royale''. For her portrayal of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic '' Harriet'' (2019), Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song " Stand Up" on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in the Best Original Song category.

On television, Erivo had her first role in the British series ''Chewing Gum'' (2015). She went on to star in the crime drama miniseries '' The Outsider'' (2020), and received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of American singer Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series '' Genius: Aretha'' (2021).

Early life and education

Erivo was born to Nigerian parents in Stockwell, South London. Her mother is a nurse. She attended La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls' School. Erivo began a music psychology degree at the University of East London; however, a year into her degree, she applied to, and subsequently trained at, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career

Career beginnings and theatrical roles (2011–2017)

Erivo first appeared in roles on British television programmes such as ''Chewing Gum'' and '' The Tunnel''. Her first stage role was in ''Marine Parade'' by Simon Stephens at the Brighton Festival. Her first musical role was in John Adams' and June Jordan's ''I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky'' at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

In 2013, Erivo played the role of Celie Harris in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of ''The Color Purple'', a role which Whoopi Goldberg had originated onscreen. Erivo had previously portrayed Sister Mary Clarence / Deloris Van Cartier in a UK tour of the stage musical ''Sister Act'', which Goldberg had originated in its film adaptation. She is also featured on the soundtrack to the musical drama film ''Beyond the Lights'', co-writing and performing the song "Fly Before You Fall".

Erivo originated the role of Chenice in the West End musical ''I Can't Sing!'', which opened at the London Palladium on 26 March 2014, garnering mixed reviews. The production closed on 10 May, just six weeks and three days after its official opening night. Erivo starred in the European premiere of '' Dessa Rose'' at London's Trafalgar Studios from July to August 2014, for which she was nominated as Best Leading Actress in a musical at the 2015 BroadwayWorld UK awards.

She made her Broadway debut in the 2015 Broadway revival transfer of the Menier Chocolate Factory production of ''The Color Purple'', reprising her role as Celie Harris alongside American actresses Jennifer Hudson as Shug Avery and Danielle Brooks as Sofia. The production began performances at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, from 10 December 2015. Among other awards for her performance, Erivo won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Erivo starred as Cathy alongside Joshua Henry in a one-night benefit concert performance of Jason Robert Brown's ''The Last Five Years'' on 12 September 2016. Proceeds from the performance went to the Brady Center, a national gun violence organization. In February 2017, Erivo performed "God Only Knows" as a tribute to musicians who had died over the past year alongside John Legend at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

In March 2017, Erivo and the cast of ''The Color Purple'' were nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for their performance on NBC's ''The Today Show'' in May 2016. In April 2017, it was announced that Erivo and the cast of ''The Color Purple'' alongside ''The Today Show'' won the Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award in the Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program category. In November 2017, she appeared on the charity benefit ''Night of Too Many Stars

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