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In 2020, Erivo received her first Oscar nomination for"Harriet.
Her Oscar may not be too far off.
But how did she get to this prestigious place?
Cynthia Erivo grew up in South London
Cynthia Erivo was born in Stockwell in South London.
Her childhood was actually quite ordinary.
“Mum still makes puff-puff and akara.
My best friend and I, when we go shopping, we still go to Primark!”
As she recounted toVariety, her mother claims she was humming to herself by 18 months old.
She detailed in an interview withNMEthat her mother may have shed a tear or two.
Singing always felt particularly magical, she told theGolden Globe Awards, even when she was a child.
“It felt like I was flying,” she said.
Luckily, her mother was there beside her every step of the way, encouraging her and championing her.
As Erivo toldOprah Daily, her mother instilled in her a sense of “tenacity and drive.”
“She always knew I was going to be a performer,” she said.
In 2020, Erivo dedicated anInstagrampost to her mother, thanking her for her unwavering support over the years.
She went on to say that without her mother, she may never have come so far.
She actually hadn’t even considered it as a child.
“No one was like, well, we can go to drama school,” she said toNPR.
“No one gave me that option.”
She instead enrolled in a music psychology program at the University of East London.
At RADA, she studied everything from classical theater to modern musicals and musicals were where she excelled.
“Some people were really wonderful at the classics and at Jacobeans,” she told NPR.
But I wasn’t that.
My raw talent came from understanding music."
Erivo graduated from RADA in 2010.
She appeared in productions at the Gielgud Theatre, Menier Chocolate Factory, and the Donmar Warehouse in London.
“But I would never be seen for TV, ever.”
Sometimes, casting directors would even assume she wasn’t from England.
Despite the lack of onscreen opportunities, Erivo excelled on the stage.
In 2013, she landed the role of Celie in a small production of “The Color Purple.
She went on to say that she would love to star in a TV series in the future.
Cynthia Erivo took up running
While training at RADA, Cynthia Erivo began running.
However, as she explained toRunner’s World, it soon became a form of release.
Throughout her career, running has been a constant.
She ran to stay fit during her first run on Broadway in “The Color Purple.”
She encouraged her castmates to do the same.
Once, she even ran a race on the same day as performing in two consecutive shows.
In 2016, she ran her first marathon.
Is thereanythingshe can’t do?
She admitted to herself that she had been using her hair as a form of disguise.
“I was doing it for such a long time.
She went to the salon and asked her hairstylist to cut it all off.
At first, the stylist refused, only cutting her hair short.
However, she went back and insisted they shave her head completely.
Finally, Erivo felt like her real self.
She starred in the play from 2015 to 2017, winning a Tony for her work in 2016.
For Erivo, the experience was nothing short of life-changing.
After her success on Broadway, Erivo decided to make the United States her home.
“[In LA] is where I’ve built my life,” she said toHarper’s Bazaar.
Playing Harriet provided Erivo a new understanding of her own faith.
“Taking on the role was a leap in and of itself.
A leap of faith,” she wrote in an essay forGuideposts.
Erivo even prayed while filming.
“Prayer was always with us on the shoot,” she said.
Being Harriet meant being in God’s continual presence.
Playing this role changed my life too.”
It was fitting and sweet that Erivobrought her mom with herto the awards show.
Erivo’s hard work paid off she was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show.
At the time, she said she felt the spirit of Aretha was looking down on her.
“It’s nice to sing MY songs, MY words,” she said to The Standard.
It’s like another part of my life I get to sort of see come to fruition.
I’ve been wanting to do an album for a very long time.”
Erivo went on to explain that her record label let her make whatever music she wanted to.
I knew I was attracted to both men and women.
I was attracted topeople."
Nevertheless, as she later told Glamour, this openness about her sexual identity ended up feeling hugely empowering.
“I’m really proud that I’ve come out,” she reflected.
Coming out also helped her focus on other things and simply enjoy life.
“Nothing else is taking energy because it needs to be hidden or concealed,” she said.
For Erivo, the role really was a dream come true.
“And it’s very exciting and fun and wild and heart-wrenching.”
“The connection that we’ve made is really special.
… She’s got a family member for life now,” she toldJimmy Fallonof their bond.
It sounds like she really has been changed for good!
