Cynthia Erivo(/əˈriːvoʊ/;[1]born 8 January 1987)[2]is an English actress, singer, and songwriter. She is the recipient ofseveral accolades, including aGrammy Awardand aTony Award, in addition to nominations for twoAcademy Awardsand aPrimetime Emmy Award.
Erivo began acting in a 2011 stage production ofThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg. She gained recognition for starring in theBroadwayrevival ofThe Color Purplefrom 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musicaland theGrammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist filmWidowsand the thrillerBad Times at the El Royale. For her portrayal of American abolitionistHarriet Tubmanin the biopicHarriet(2019), Erivo received a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song “Stand Up” on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in theBest Original Songcategory.
On television, Erivo had her first role in the British seriesChewing Gum(2015). She went on to star in the crime drama miniseriesThe Outsider(2020), and received a nomination for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actressfor her portrayal of American singerAretha FranklininNational Geographic‘s anthology seriesGenius: Aretha(2021).
