Cynthia Erivo on ‘Wicked’, Ariana Grande, Her Faith, and Queerness

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Depraved.

On working with Ariana Grande

I’ve gained a sister. At this level, we converse virtually on daily basis. Each of us had been blown away by how related we had been instantly. I bear in mind the primary day we received to come back collectively. It was at [director] Jon M. Chu’s home, and Stephen Schwartz [who wrote Wicked’s music and lyrics for both the OG Broadway musical and the film] was over. He performed some songs for us, and we sang collectively for the primary time. It labored. It’s a really intimate factor to sing with somebody. There’s a extremely stunning dance—I must observe you, you must observe me. It was probably the most gratifying issues to know that there was somebody who was that open and accessible, as a result of she was, and that meant I may very well be as properly.

We additionally had a ravishing relationship offscreen. We had actually stunning conversations, some that weren’t straightforward, however that’s what makes relationships. These arduous conversations you can have with somebody that imply that you must be weak are the issues that make you shut.

On staying true to herself

I don’t know that I had the language once I was a child. I knew I needed to be an actress. I knew I needed to be a singer. I knew I needed to achieve success. These are the issues that had been very clear to me. I don’t know that I’d have imagined it like this. It’s fantastic, not simply due to the issues that it comes with, however as a result of I received to do it as me. To be at this level and to really feel very very similar to myself, and to be additionally open to no matter development could come, feels actually fantastic.

Jacket, shirt, pants, bow, Nina Ricci by Harris Reed. Hat, Esenshel. Necklace, Dolce & Gabbana. Pumps, Marc Jacobs.

On the ladies in Hollywood who’ve impacted her

Michelle Yeoh, due to how lively and bodily she is, and since she’s been in a position to mix dramatic performing with stunts and physicality. Every time I’m round her, I’m like the child who’s at her toes, saying, “Inform me every little thing, I wish to know every little thing.” She simply has a lot data, and she or he’s so welcoming. Cicely Tyson. The daring, the wanting to maintain enjoying, to maintain increasing and attempting various things—completely different characters, completely different kinds. At one level, she was bald herself, and she or he made the choice to simply shave all of it off. I simply love that, and I believe it’s in all probability what impressed my resolution to shave my head, which is among the greatest choices I’ve ever made for myself. Barbra Streisand, as a result of she’s a real Renaissance lady. To have the ability to direct, to behave, to sing, to put in writing, to do all of these issues and do them spectacularly. She’s simply a type of girls who’re completely themselves, and I’m in love with that. Viola Davis, simply because she retains going from energy to energy. She nonetheless has a starvation in her. These completely different girls who’ve chosen to maintain enjoying, preserve attempting, preserve doing various things.

On the intersection between her queer and Catholic identities

I’ve a deep perception that God makes folks as they’re meant to be. The foundations for themselves that folks put upon others don’t have anything to do with me and my religion. I can’t permit slim pondering that some Christians or Catholics have of what religion is to have an effect on how huge I believe religion will be. Religion is so huge—a lot greater than set guidelines. As time modifications, we’re additionally meant to alter. If me loving somebody makes you upset, then we now have to refocus. I believe the principle rule that we’re all alleged to observe is to like each other as you’d love your self. That’s it. That’s the large overarching factor. Am I making house to look after different folks, be variety to different folks, be pretty much as good to different folks as I’d produce other folks be to me? If these are the issues I’m following, then I believe I’m following my religion.

Cape, earrings, Schiaparelli Haute Couture. Hat, Esenshel.

On being painted inexperienced on daily basis

They created a inexperienced particularly for me. It was actually “Cynthia Inexperienced.” Relying on how a lot inexperienced we had been doing—head, chest, fingers, full physique—it might take as much as 4 hours. The whole lot was specific, proper all the way down to my eyebrows. [My makeup artist] created a vacuum kind so the freckles would keep in the identical place on daily basis. I’ve 1,000,000 piercings, in order that they introduced in a prosthetic artist, who created mainly a shell for my ears—these aren’t my ears!

On doing her personal stunts and singing reside

I used to be up at six o’clock within the morning on my treadmill coaching. I’d run and sing on the treadmill. I used to be all the time ensuring that my physique was prepared. I wanted to get my physique used to being on wires [for the flight scenes]. There’s a thrill that I received from it. I loved the powerfulness of having the ability to get on a wire and be flipped the wrong way up. It’s not going to go proper the primary time—perhaps the second or third—and that’s okay.

Cape, earrings, Schiaparelli Haute Couture. Hat, Esenshel.

On the duet she’d like to do with Ariana Grande

I really feel like I wish to discover a Whitney [Houston] quantity and cut up it in two. “Run to You” may very well be actually stunning collectively.

On the mission that’s taught her probably the most

It’s a toss-up between Harriet and The Outsider [the 2020 HBO miniseries based on the Stephen King novel of the same name]. On The Outsider, I had to make use of completely different instruments for that character, and instruments that I didn’t know that I had till I had to make use of them. That was an actual up-and-down time for me whereas taking pictures, as a result of it was not straightforward in any respect. The circumstances had been insane. We had been in the midst of nowhere. We shot in a cave. I received terribly, terribly unwell. It was dangerous, however I liked that character a lot.

Harriet actually taught me about resilience, persistence, and energy. And it additionally taught me concerning the lengths I’d go for the characters that I play. I used to be keen to do no matter it took to make her sing. I used to be keen to do no matter it took to make her three-dimensional and actual. I used to be keen to do no matter it took to ensure that I understood and all people else understood what this character had gone by means of. After I was informed we now have to do a scene the place you cross within the water as much as your neck, I used to be like, “Nice, I’m going to cross within the water as much as my neck.” “Would you like a moist swimsuit beneath?” “No, I don’t. If I’ve a moist swimsuit beneath, you’re not going to get the response you’re alleged to get from me if I’ve slightly heat. I wish to really feel what that looks like as I’m strolling within the water.”

On how she takes care of herself

I’ve actually good folks round me. I’m studying to say no to the issues that I actually can not do. But it surely’s about physique, thoughts, and soul. I must work out. I’ve to observe the issues that I put in my physique. I do issues that give me pleasure only for me. Folks buy groceries, however I’m going purchasing as a result of I really like purchasing. I really like style. These issues feed my soul.

Lead Picture: Jacket, skirt, belt, Louis Vuitton. Earrings, Harry Winston.

Make-up by Keita Moore on the Solely Company; manicure by Gina Oh; produced by Dana Brockman at Viewfinders.

A model of this story seems within the December 2024/January 2025 problem of ELLE.

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Samuel is the Affiliate Editor at ELLE Journal. Previous to this function, he was the Assistant to ELLE’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina Garcia. At ELLE, Samuel writes about music, style, arts, and tradition, interviewing Normani, Lola Tung, Sara Bareilles, Kelli O’Hara, Nicholas Galitzine, Tate McRae, and extra. Raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Samuel attended Northwestern College and at present resides in New York Metropolis.