Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo, known simply as Cynthia Erivo, is a distinguished British actress and singer. She was born on January 8, 1987. Celebrated for her contributions to both stage and screen, Erivo has garnered numerous accolades and is among the select few artists nominated for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award (EGOT), having won all except the Oscar.
Erivo made her debut on the West End with the stage musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in 2011 and later made her Broadway debut as Celie in the revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017. Her performance in this production earned her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and a Daytime Emmy Award.
In 2018, Erivo transitioned to film with roles in the crime thrillers Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the film Harriet (2019) and for Best Original Song for the track "Stand Up" from the same movie. In 2024, she was nominated for another Best Actress Award for her role as Elphaba in the musical fantasy film Wicked.
On television, Erivo portrayed Holly Gibney in the HBO crime drama miniseries The Outsider (2020) and Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series Genius: Aretha (2021), the latter performance earning her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
As a singer, Erivo has released several singles and two solo albums, showcasing her wide-ranging talent and further cementing her status as a versatile and accomplished artist.