VARIETY Power of Women London Cover: Cynthia Erivo on WICKED, DRACULA, and More

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In a new Power of Women London cover story for VARIETY, Cynthia Erivo speaks with International Correspondent K.J. Yossman about WICKED — the challenges and scrutiny that came with it, her friendship with Ariana Grande, and a third film — how society views Black women, DRACULA, and more. 

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Erivo on the challenging experience of bringing “Wicked” to life on the big screen: “It’s very interesting, watching what people’s perception is versus what the reality actually is,” she says, a note of sarcasm creeping into her voice. “Lots of psychologists seated at home deciding who we were, what we were going through, what we were doing and why.”

On her friendship with “Wicked” costar Ariana Grande: “I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends,” Erivo says. “But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend. If I’m not, then I’m not.” She says the two still text almost every day.

On coping with the intense scrutiny during “Wicked” and shielding an inner part of herself: “That’s the nature of the work, to truly embody and be different people,” she says in soft tones, punctuating her sentences with flutters of her fingers. “Because I think sometimes, if I’m honest, people thought I was being myself, even though I was green.”

On a third “Wicked” film: “It’s too soon to even begin to have the conversation about it,” Erivo says, adding, “It would take a lot to get me back to do it. It has to make sense.”

On her and Jonathan Bailey — both gay actors — playing a straight leading couple: “He and I had talked about it often, that the two of us could play these characters and be ostensibly two straight characters who are played by two queer people without any issue, and actually still be able to tell the story of love and closeness,” she says. “There’s something really special about that.”

On starting rehearsals for “Dracula” at the beginning of this year: “I guess it’s like a reemerging again, putting my feet back on the ground again,” she says of returning to the West End. “Because ‘Wicked’ was its own storm in a teacup. It took over everything and — beautifully — changed my life.”

[Photo Credit: Zoe McConnell for Variety – Variety/YouTube]

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