Anonymous Oscars 2025 voter reveals the specific reason they didn’t vote for Cynthia Erivo to win Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo's performance in Wicked might have won over the audiences, but according to their ballot reaction, an Oscars 2025 voter isn't a fan.

The Grammy-winning star has been in discussion lately for her performance as Elphaba in the gravity-defying Broadway musical adaptation. Erivo has also been a consistent name across several award shows, including the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the NAACP Awards. So, it's fair to say that her performance is unanimously praised across these platforms.

However, an Oscars 2025 ballot voter had a different opinion. This anonymous voter reveals why they decided not to vote for Cynthia Erivo in the Best Actress category.

“Cynthia Erivo was actually too old for ‘Wicked’.”

The voter shared this response concerning their choice in the Best Actress category. It doesn't reveal why Cynthia Erivo's performance was better or worse than that of her competitors, nor does it speak about her singing skills or acting chops. Instead, it points out a casting decision unrelated to her work.

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Oscars 2025 Voting Ballot: Other hot takes, explored

The voting ballot for Oscars 2025 closed on February 18th. Indiewire revealed select responses from various Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) voters shortly after. While some reactions aligned with the popular consensus, others were hot takes.

One of these voters shared their pick in the Best Actor race and spoke about Adrien Brody's performance in The Brutalist, a favorite among multiple award shows.

"I didn’t vote for Adrien Brody because I didn’t love The Brutalist. It was pretentious and over-the-top. The first half was OK. The second half? Thank God I could watch it in the comfort of my home and take a break and come back the next night."

Another anonymous voter revealed why they chose Emilia Pérez over The Substance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category:

“Emilia Pérez. I’m not voting for that horrible [The] Substance, which will probably win. I felt traumatized by that film. I felt that I had spent two hours that I will never recover."

In the Best Actress race, a voter revealed why they chose Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) over Demi Moore (The Substance) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked).

"Karla Sofía Gascón. It’s f***ing tragic she won’t win. It was an extraordinary performance. Better that wins than f***ing Demi Moore. I just so hated [The Substance]. And Cynthia Erivo was actually too old for Wicked”

The Oscars 2025 ceremony will be held on March 2, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET.

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Also read: 4 Oscar voters revealed to have not watched Dune 2 and abstained from ranking it.