Cynthia Erivo (/əˈriːvoʊ/;[1] born 8 January 1987)[2] is an English actress and singer. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. For her portrayal of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet (2019), Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song "Stand Up" on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in the Best Original Song category.

On television, Erivo had her first role in the British series Chewing Gum (2015). She went on to star in the crime drama miniseries The Outsider (2020), and received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of American singer Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series Genius: Aretha (2021). Erivo portrayed the title role in Harriet, a biographical film about American abolitionist Harriet Tubman.[29][30] The film began production in October 2018,[31] completed filming in January 2019, and was released on 1 November 2019.[32] Her performance earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama;[33] she also received a second nomination for Best Original Song for a song she co-wrote and performed for the film entitled "Stand Up".[34] In 2020, Erivo garnered nominations for two Academy Awards–one for Best Actress for her portrayal of Tubman and the other for Best Original Song for "Stand Up".In July 2022, Erivo performed as part of the BBC Proms, singing tributes to women who have inspired her.[45][46] Writing in The Times, John Bungey highlighted her performances of the songs "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Ain't No Way".[47] That same year, Erivo played The Blue Fairy in Disney's live-action film adaptation of Pinocchio, directed by Robert Zemeckis.[48] In 2023, she appeared in Luther: The Fallen Sun, a film continuation of the crime drama series Luther.[49] Erivo is set to portray Elphaba in a two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked.[50] She is attached to produce and star in the science fiction film Blink Speed and a film adaptation of the podcast Carrier, reprising the role of Raylene.[51][52] Erivo will star in an upcoming film adaption of Prima Facie.