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.
Strictly fans in tears over guest judge Cynthia Erivo's 'beautiful' gesture to Rose Ayling-Ellis
ok.co.ukStrictly Come Dancing fans praised guest judge Cynthia Erivo for using sign language to communicate with Rose Ayling-Ellis for the second week in a row.
EastEnders star Rose, 27, who is the first deaf contestant to take part in Strictly, performed a stunning Paso Doble to California Dreamin by Sia with pro partner Giovanni Pernice, 31.
After the performance, guest judge Cynthia, 34, who replaced Motsi Mabuse for the week, used sign language to deliver her feedback to Rose.
Cynthia said: "I think you are fierce! It was really wonderful, you have this power in you that moves across the floor." Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter.
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