Cynthia Erivo, the breakout star of Wicked, received the exciting news of her Best Actress nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards, as she was on the way to the Sundance Film Festival, where she was set to be honored with the prestigious Visionary Award. The surprise left her overwhelmed with emotions, according to an interview with Deadline. And she was unable to process the momentous announcement, describing the surreal experience as a mix of madness and amazement:
“It’s fine. I’ve got happy tears. I don’t know how to tackle this. The whole thing is madness and amazing. This is the most wonderful thing to have gone through and to experience. I’m just really pleased, it’s so cool.”
Based on the beloved Broadway musical, Wicked is one of the biggest cinematic events in recent memory. Directed by Jon M. Chu, it stars Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, and explores the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch. All before culminating in a dramatic finale that left audiences seated in theaters, waiting for the next installment. It grossed an impressive $710 million worldwide against a $150 million production budget, and became the highest-grossing musical film adaptation of all time. Wicked has earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Grande.
‘Wicked’ Star Reflects on the Responsibility That Comes with Blindsiding Fame
Fame in today’s world can strike overnight, and for newcomers like Erivo, whose previous credits include Bad Times at the El Royale and Harriet, the astronomical rise can be a challenging experience. Despite the overwhelming response from fans and critics, Erivo has handled the stardom with poise and grace. She’s also one of only a few artists to have received nominations for the “EGOT” for her standout performance in Wicked. EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, the major awards for TV, music, film, and theater, respectively.
Wicked is a collaborative effort of the entire cast and crew, who worked endlessly to bring the ambitious and magical tale to life. In the interview, Erivo reflected on her past two years and the fame she has garnered, and expressed her raw emotions and boundless happiness about the same:
“I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling like my feet are on the ground. I have amazing people around me. There’s not a chance I would be able to do this if I didn’t have the team that I have, the friends that I have. I feel very, very grateful. It feels like the last few years kind of were like the works where you sow everything, you put the seeds in and you water them, you get everything done and then everything is sort of bearing fruit now, and it’s really special. I’m so happy.”
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For those who’ve already watched Wicked and are eagerly awaiting the release of Wicked Part Two, here are 10 musicals to watch in the meantime.
Erivo has become a role model for the LGBTQ+ community with Wicked. She has embodied representation and empowerment with her iconic character, and is already making a difference in the world. Speaking about it, she shares:
“When you start to learn about what any of this means in the big picture, I’m just so grateful to be a person that can be looked at to do those things. I’m aware of the responsibility that brings. So I will take care of that responsibility and hopefully rise to the occasion. But it’s really touching, it’s really meaningful to be able to do that and to be a voice for several types of people, all of which I am a part of. It’s the pinnacle of cool.”
As the anticipation for Wicked: For Good reaches fever pitch, especially with the Oscar nominations, Erivo remains committed to her craft. She is set to return to the screen in projects like Poker Face Season 2 and Children of Blood and Bone, the casting announcements for which dropped only recently.
Release Date
November 22, 2024
Runtime
160 Minutes
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