Cynthia Erivo’s emotional response to her Oscar nomination for Wicked is a testament to her incredible journey and talent. While on a flight to the Sundance Film Festival, where she was set to receive the Visionary Award, Erivo learned that she had been nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. Overcome with emotion, she wept on the flight, a moment that symbolized the significance of the achievement. On Instagram, she expressed deep gratitude, saying, “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 gratitude.” Erivo’s words reflect not just the personal pride of the nomination but also her acknowledgment of the impact her work has on audiences.
Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, has received 10 Oscar nominations, including one for Ariana Grande, who has earned her first-ever Oscar nod as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Glinda. Their performances as rivals-turned-friends in the musical have been widely praised. Erivo’s nomination brings her even closer to achieving EGOT status, having already won Grammy, Tony, and Emmy awards.
In her Instagram post, Erivo shared a reflection on her younger self, noting that she could only imagine her younger self smiling with pride at this moment. When speaking to Deadline about the potential of becoming an EGOT winner with an Oscar win, she expressed her amazement and gratitude, saying, “I don’t really know how to process this… this is just the most wonderful thing to have gone through and to experience.”
Wicked has been a massive success, earning $709.9 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing movie musical to date. Erivo is set to return for the sequel Wicked: For Good, which is slated for release in November 2025.