‘Wicked’ Actress Cynthia Erivo Gets Another Chance to Make History as the Youngest Person to Achieve EGOT Status
Let’s all say a little prayer for Cynthia Erivo in hopes that she breaks a new record of becoming the youngest EGOT winner.
The British singer and actress has been coming out swinging since she hit the Hollywood scene. She’s taken on some heaving-hitting roles like portraying the legendary singer Aretha Franklin and abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
But her embodiment of the misunderstood green witch named Elphaba in the Universal Pictures film “Wicked” catapulted her career to new heights this past winter. Now she has a second chance to be crowned Best Actress at the March 2 Oscars ceremony after being nominated on Jan. 23.
Erivo already has a Tony, a Grammy, and a Daytime Emmy. This means all she is missing is an Oscar award to achieve the prestigious title of being an EGOT winner. If Erivo can snag the win, she will make history by becoming the youngest person to achieve EGOT status at the age of 38 years old.
In 2016, Erivo won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Celie in “The Color Purple.” The following year, she won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program for “The Color Purple” and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
At the 2020 Oscar Awards, Erivo showed off her vocals during her performance of “Stand Up.” At age 32, she received two Oscar nominations for her role in “Harriet.” During that year, she was up for Best Actress and Best Original Song but she didn’t end up taking home the win.
Cynthia Erivo shows why she’s one of the best with an incredible performance of “Stand Up” from #Harriet at the #Oscars pic.twitter.com/i189LEyl0C
— MTV NEWS (@MTVNEWS) February 10, 2020
In response to people spreading rumors that she may perform a medley of “Wicked” songs with Ariana Grande, Erivo bluntly stated, “No!” while at the Critics Choice Awards on Feb. 7.
She continued, telling a Variety reporter, “People are asking me if we’re going to be singing at the Oscars. I don’t know why we would be doing that, since our song is not nominated. That doesn’t happen. I don’t know what to tell you.”
On Jan. 23, Erivo emotionally celebrated the news of her Oscar nomination by posting an Instagram carousel which included photos of her on the set of “Wicked,” a baby childhood, and a video clip. In the video, she revealed she was figuratively “defying gravity” when she got the news.
“Defying Gravity” is the final song Elphaba sings in the film, marking a pivotal moment in her character’s arc. This is the point where she finally accepts herself against all odds and is ready to live her life without limits.
In the caption, Erivo wrote a lengthy message which she started off by giving thanks.
“Moments like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, it is sacrilege to let them pass by without a moment of gratitud[e],” she wrote. “I am grateful, grateful to @theacademy, grateful to be a part of something that makes people feel seen, grateful to be a cog in the wheel of a piece that makes us believe in magic, grateful to have experienced a dream come true, and deeply deeply grateful for this unbelievable recognition.”
Erivo added, “I often get asked what I would say to my younger self. Well today there’s nothing to be said. She is smiling, beaming, glowing from ear to ear. That speaks volumes.”
She went on to acknowledge her co-star and “sister” Ariana Grande who played opposite her as Glinda in “Wicked.” And she thanked the director of the film, John M. Chu.
Fans and friends celebrated with her in the comments of the post.
One person said, “is it alright if we call you OSCAR NOMINATED Elphie.”
“You’ve healed me and my family with your performance as elphaba and your beautiful soul. You’re part of our day to day. You deserve every nomination. You deserve every award. Love you witch,” wrote another.
“You’ve earned this. You deserve every bit of this recognition and I’m so proud of you!,” said a third.
Other Black celebrities who have become EGOT winners are Viola Davis, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Whoopi Goldberg,the late Harry Belafonte and the late James Earl Jones.
