Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo (born 8 January 1987) is an English actress, singer, and songwriter.
She is known for her performance as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, the latter two she shared with the rest of the cast.
Erivo ventured into films in 2018, with roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. In 2019, she portrayed abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet, for which she earned nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Cynthia Erivo will star in a film adaptation of the theater sensation “Prime Facie,” Variety can report exclusively.
Participant and Bunya Productions announced Monday that Oscar nominee Erivo will take on the role originated on the West End (and, currently, on Broadway) by actor Jodie Comer.
Erivo will also executive produce the project through her banner Edith’s Daughter. BAFTA winner and Emmy nominee Susanna White (“Woman Walks Ahead,” “Star Wars: Andor”) will direct.
Suzie Miller will adapt her own critically-acclaimed stage play for the screen. “Prima Facie,” which translates to “at first sight,” tells the propulsive story of ambitious and confident defense attorney Tessa.
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