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Cynthia Erivo is a British actress, singer, and songwriter known for her performances across film, television, and theater. She was born on January 8, 1987, in Stockwell, London, England, and has been working in the entertainment industry for more than a decade. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with a bachelor's degree in acting in 2010. She started her career in theatre before transitioning into films and TV shows.
Erivo gained widespread popularity for her role as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple (2015–2017). She made her TV debut with a minor appearance in the show Chewing Gum in 2015. In 2018, she made her film debut with the film Widows. She has worked in many acting projects like Broad City (2017-2019), Widows (2018), The Boss Baby: Back in Business (2018), The Outsider (2020), Pinocchio (2020), Drift (2023), Wicked (2024), etc. Over the years, she has won many awards for her work. Let’s take a look at the awards and nominations received by Cynthia Erivo.
Cynthia Erivo's awards
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Cynthia Erivo has won many awards over the years for her work in films, theatre, and TV shows. Her performance in The Color Purple won her 3 major awards- a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, a Grammy Award for the show's album, and a Daytime Emmy Award for a special TV performance. With these wins, she became one of the few actors who have won awards in all three major acting categories. She also won many awards for her work in the film Harriet (2019).
Year | Award | Category | Work |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Leading Actress in a Musical | The Color Purple |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | The Color Purple |
2016 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | The Color Purple |
2016 | Theatre World Award | Outstanding Broadway Debut Performance | The Color Purple |
2017 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program | The Color Purple |
2017 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | The Color Purple |
2017 | Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | Best Original Song | "Jump" (from Step) |
2018 | Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Ensemble | Widows |
2019 | Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Harriet |
2019 | Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Female Action Hero | Harriet |
2019 | Hollywood Film Awards | Breakout Actress | Harriet |
2020 | Santa Barbara International Film Festival | Virtuoso Award | Harriet |
2020 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Breakthrough Performance Award | Harriet |
2020 | London Critics Circle Film Awards | Best British/Irish Actress | Harriet |
2024 | Astra Film Awards | Best Actress | Wicked |
Cynthia Erivo's award nominations
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Over the years, Cynthia Erivo has received many nominations from major award ceremonies, including 3 Academy Award nominations, 2 BAFTA Award nominations, 4 Golden Globe Award Nominations, 4 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, 8 Critics' Choice Award nominations, etc. In this award season, Erivo has received many nominations for her work in the film Wicked as Elphaba Thropp.
For her Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Wicked, Erivo shared a post on Instagram to express her gratitude and wrote, “Moments like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, it is sacrilege to let them pass by without a moment of gratitude. I am grateful, grateful to the Academy, grateful to be a part of something that makes people feel seen, grateful to be a cog in the wheel of a piece that makes us believe in magic, grateful to have experienced a dream come true, and deeply deeply grateful for this unbelievable recognition.”
Year | Award | Category | Work |
2016 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | The Color Purple |
2018 | BAFTA Awards | BAFTA Rising Star Award | Herself |
2019 | Academy Awards | Best Original Song | "Stand Up" (from Harriet) |
2019 | Academy Awards | Best Actress | Harriet |
2019 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Harriet |
2019 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Original Song – Motion Picture | "Stand Up" (from Harriet) |
2019 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture | Harriet |
2020 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actress | Harriet |
2020 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Original Song Written for a Movie | "Stand Up" (from Harriet) |
2020 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress – Motion Picture | Harriet |
2020 | Grammy Awards | Best Song Written for Visual Media | "Stand Up" (from Harriet) |
2021 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie | Genius: Aretha |
2021 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie | Genius: Aretha |
2021 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Genius: Aretha |
2021 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | The Outsider |
2022 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries | Genius: Aretha |
2022 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Genius: Aretha |
2023 | Tony Awards | Best Play | Fat Ham |
2024 | Astra Film Awards | Best Ensemble | Wicked |
2025 | Academy Awards | Best Actress | Wicked |
2025 | BAFTA Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Wicked |
2025 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Wicked |
2025 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture | Wicked |
2025 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture | Wicked |
2025 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actress | Wicked |
2025 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Wicked |
2025 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy | Wicked |
Also read about: Cynthia Erivos' Net Worth
FAQs about Cynthia Erivo
A. Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba Thropp in Wicked.
A. Cynthia Erivo has received 3 Oscar nominations.
A. Cynthia Erivo has won a Grammy Award for The Color Purple.