Cynthia Wicked: Who is Elpaba actress Cynthia Erivo - age, net worth, relationship, family, filmography

The actress is currently defying gravity in the 2024 smash hit film Wicked as green witch Elphaba Thropp.

But, who is the actress behind the role? Here’s all you need to know about Erivo, including her age, net worth, relationship status and filmography.

Who is Cynthia Erivo?

Erivo, full name Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Erivo, is an award-winning British actress and singer.

She has received several accolades, including a Daytime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. She is one of only a few artists to have received nominations for the EGOT, and will be the youngest person this has been awarded to if achieved.

She is a star of stage and screen, having appeared in theatre shows on London’s West End, but also on TV shows and films.

How old is Cynthia Erivo?

Erivo is 37 years old. She was born in London on January 8 1987, which means on Wednesday she will turn 38.

Who are Cynthia Erivo’s family?

The star was mostly raised by her mother and the pair have a close relationship. She has a production company which she called Edith's Daughter in tribute to her mother.

It’s reported that Edith, who had moved from Nigeria to Britain before Erivo was born, knew that her daughter would become an actress and a singer, and wrote it down in her baby book when she was just 18 months old.

Her mum’s predictions were true. She began a music psychology degree at the University of East London in 2004. A year into her degree, however, she applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and transferred there. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting in 2010.

Erivo has a younger sister named Stephanie, with whom she is also close to. The pair were disowned by their father when Erivo was 16 years old, and they are still estranged.

The star opened up about her non-existent relationship with her dad in her song You’re Not Here, a ballad she wrote to help her move on from the pain of his abandonment.

Who is Cynthia Erivo in a relationship with?

The actress is thought to be in a relationship with Lena Waithe, a 40-year-old American actress, producer, and screenwriter. The pair have never confirmed they are in a romantic relationship, but have frequently been photographed looking cosy together. They were last photographed together at the premiere of Wicked.

In July 2022, Erivo spoke to British Vogue about her romantic life and being queer and bisexual. She said: “My closest friends have known this of me for a long time. I feel like I knew it when I was around 15 but didn’t know what to call it. I didn’t have the vocabulary for it. I knew I was attracted to both men and women. I was attracted to people. I’d have a crush on this person or that person but didn’t know how to put it in words.”

What is Cynthia Erivo’s net worth?

She is said to be worth $5 million (just over £4 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth, a figure which has recently increased - all thanks to the huge success of Wicked. At the beginning of December, Cosmopolitan reported that she was worth $3 million (around £2.4 million) so Wicked has definitely boosted her bank balance.

What else has Cynthia Erivo been in?

The star first worked in theatre. She made her West End debut in the stage musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (2011). She later made her Broadway debut playing Celie, a woman suffering abuse in the Deep South, in the musical revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017.

In 2018, she made the move to film acting with the crime films Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. On television, she played Holly Gibney in the HBO crime drama miniseries The Outsider (2020), and also portrayed Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's anthology series Genius: Aretha (2021).