Cynthia Erivo Delivers a One-Line Masterclass on Identity and Pronouns
At a Harper’s Bazaar panel, Cynthia Erivo embraced her androgynous edge and urged everyday education and empathy to tackle the misgendering and identity erasure LGBTQ people face.
I love when a celebrity actually says something specific about who they are instead of playing it safe. Cynthia Erivo just did that, talking about her look, identity, and yes, Wicked. Here is the quick rundown, plus one development on the movie side that might surprise you.
Cynthia Erivo on choosing androgyny and the daily pronoun grind
On a recent Harper's Bazaar panel, Erivo said she prefers her androgynous vibe over more conventional styling, and then got candid about what it feels like to be misgendered or mislabeled. The part that stuck with me was how she described the repetition of correcting people, every single day, on something as basic as pronouns.
Teaching people on a daily basis how to address you, and dealing with the frustration of reteaching people a word that has been in the human vocabulary since the dawn of time: they/them. Words used to describe pedantically two or more people; poetically, a person who is simply more.
That sentiment clearly landed with fans and queer audiences, and it tracks with how she has been publicly claiming her identity over the last few years.
How she got there: coming out and the not-so-easy part
Erivo has described herself as bisexual by nature, but she is also honest about how long it took to get comfortable saying that out loud. Back in 2022, during a British Vogue cover panel, the Grammy and Tony winner talked about coming out as bisexual and made the point that even now, it is still not simple to open up about it. Her message then was basically: queer people keep being asked to justify why they should be treated equally when the real difference is just how we love and express ourselves. Instead of shaming that, celebrate the courage. And most importantly, give people the room to show up fully as who they are.
Wicked update: a spin-off is being kicked around, but maybe without the leads
With the second film out and the Wicked fandom in full swing, there is already chatter about what comes next. Composer Stephen Schwartz told The Ankler that he and writer Winnie Holzman never had a traditional sequel mapped out. What they are exploring, however, is a spin-off idea. The notable wrinkle: he hinted it might not involve Cynthia Erivo or Ariana Grande. If that holds, expect a new angle on Oz rather than a straight continuation.
It is still the idea stage, but the takeaway is simple: do not be shocked if Universal keeps the Wicked train going with a side story.
Wicked at a glance
- Wicked: 88% Tomatometer | 95% Audience; $758 million worldwide
- Wicked: For Good: 70% Tomatometer | 95% Audience; $74.9 million worldwide
Where to watch: Wicked is streaming on Prime Video in the US, and Wicked: For Good is now playing in theaters worldwide.