Born on January 8, 1987, Cynthia Erivo faced her share of early challenges, and she’s come out the other side with an amazing acting career.
Raised in a Nigerian-British household and went to places like the University of East London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, she quickly grabbed attention with standout roles in shows like The Color Purple and Harriet.
And sure, her personal life, with some early family struggles and a few well-known relationships has only made her story more intriguing.
Here’s everything that you need to know about her.
Cynthia Erivo Quick Facts
| Wiki and Bio | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasa Erivo |
| Nick Name | Cynthia |
| Profession | Actress, Singer, Songwriter |
| Famous as | Playing Celie in The Color Purple, Harriet Tubman in Harriet |
| Age | 38 years old |
| Date of Birth | January 8, 1987 |
| Birthplace/Hometown | Stockwell, London, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Sexuality | Straight (rumored to be queer/questioning) |
| Gender | Female |
| Ethnicity | Nigerian-British |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sun Sign (Zodiac Sign) | Capricorn |
| Height (in feet) | 5 feet 0 inches |
| Height (in centimeters) | 152 cm |
| Weight (in pounds) | 98 lbs |
| Weight (in kilograms) | 45 kg |
| Body Measurements (in inches) | 32-24-33 |
| Body Measurements (in centimeters) | 81-61-84 |
| Shoe Size in US | 7 (estimated from height and proportions) |
| Tattoo Details | No visible tattoos |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Naturally Black, often dyed White/Platinum |
| Parents | Mother: Edith Erivo, Father: Update soon |
| Siblings | Sister: Nicolette |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Dating History | Dean-John Wilson, rumored Lena Waithe, Mario Martinez |
| Partner | None |
| Children | None |
| Highest Qualification | BA in Acting |
| School | La Retraite Roman Catholic School for Girls |
| Alma Mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) |
| Hobbies & Favorites | Singing, Theater, Working out, Activism |
| Favorite Celebrities | Update soon |
| Dream Holiday | Update soon |
| Favorite Color | Update soon |
| Interests | Music, Acting, Fashion, Social Justice |
| Net Worth | $3 million as of 2025 |
| Salary & Earnings | Update soon |
| @cynthiaerivo | |
Cynthia Erivo Biography, Age, Family
Cynthia Erivo’s early life wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Born on January 8, 1987, in Stockwell, London, she’s currently 38 years old.
Hailing from a Nigerian-British background, Cynthia’s British by nationality.
After her parents moved to the USA, they eventually separated.
Growing up, Cynthia and her sister Nicolette were raised by their mom, Edith, who worked as a nurse.
Life took a sharp turn when, at just 16, her father suddenly cut ties with her.
In fact, the last time she saw him was way back in 2011 at a cousin’s wedding.
Cynthia attended La Retraite Roman Catholic for girls and even earned a degree in music psychology at the University of East London.
However, she later left that program to chase her dream of acting, training at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she wrapped up a bachelor’s degree in acting in 2010.
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Is Cynthia Erivo Dating Lena Waithe?
There’s been plenty of chatter about a possible romance between Cynthia and Lena Waithe over the years.
You might have seen pictures of them together. Lena, who tied the knot with Alana Mayo in November 2019 (although that union didn’t last long), has sparked even more rumors since their split.
Back in 2018, Cynthia once referred to Lena as “sis” in a social media post, and more recently, the two were seen at the Alvin Ailey Spirit Gala.
But that was in 2018.
Adding more fuel to the fire, Lena and Cynthia appeared together at the Alvin Ailey Spirit Gala.
While they walked the red carpet separately, some sharp-eyed onlookers noticed them holding hands as they entered the Lincoln Center auditorium.
And then there was that moment when Lena made a cheeky remark hinting at something more intimate, saying, “Her man can’t do what I do for her.”
It sure made people wonder if there’s more than just friendship going on.
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Who Is Lena Waithe?
Lena Waithe is a talented American screenwriter, actress, and producer, best known for her work on shows like Master of None and Queen & Slim.
Fun fact: at one point, Cynthia even snagged an Emmy for outstanding writing for Master of None.
When it comes to her personal life, Lena’s been in the spotlight too.
She once married Alana Mayo in a same-sex ceremony at the San Francisco Courthouse back in 2019, though their marriage ended quite quickly with a split just two months later.
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Who Is Cynthia Erivo Dating?
Cynthia is pretty tight-lipped about her love life, which only adds to the mystery.
Back in 2013, she was linked to actor and singer Dean-John Wilson, and the two were often seen together.
But then, whispers started circulating about her relationship with Mario Martinez, some even suggested she left Dean for Mario.
Though she denied those claims, things became clearer when her relationship with Mario made headlines in 2017.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Cynthia shared that their worlds just clicked.
Apparently, Mario had been showing interest for a while, and after her split with Dean, things finally took off with a kiss that sparked their connection.
Cynthia even posted a birthday shoutout for him on Instagram, but she’s kept things pretty low-key since then.
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Cynthia Erivo Career and Net Worth
Cynthia’s talent has clearly won her fans and critics alike.
Over the years, she’s bagged accolades like an Emmy and a Grammy, and even received two Academy Award nominations.
Starting her acting journey at just 15, Cynthia made her TV debut in 2011 on shows like Chewing Gum and The Tunnel.
Her breakthrough role came in 2015 when she wowed audiences as Celie Harris in The Color Purple, a performance that earned her both Grammy and Tony awards.
She made her big-screen debut in the 2018 film Windows and later received Oscar nods for Best Actress and Best Original Song for “Stand Up” in the biopic Harriet, where she brought Harriet Tubman’s story to life.
Today, Cynthia’s estimated net worth sits around $3 million.
Cynthia Erivo Movie and TV Show Credits
| Movies and TV Shows | Appeared as | Year |
|---|---|---|
| HouseBroken | Ferris (voice) | 2023 |
| Star Wars: Visions | Kratu (voice) | 2023 |
| Luther: The Fallen Sun | Odette Raine | 2023 |
| Drift | Jacqueline | 2023 |
| Kym | Doctor Henry | 2022 |
| Pinocchio | Blue Fairy | 2022 |
| BBC Proms | – | 2022 |
| Roar | Ambia | 2022 |
| Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock | The Archivist (voice) | 2022 |
| Needle in a Timestack | Janine Mikkelsen | 2021 |
| Genius | Aretha Franklin | 2021 |
| Chaos Walking | Hildy | 2021 |
| Hank the Cowdog | Madame Moonshine (voice) | 2020 |
| James and the Giant Peach with Taika and Friends | Ladybird | 2020 |
| The Outsider | Holly Gibney | 2020 |
| The Two Princes | Queen Malkia of the Midlands | 2019 |
| Harriet | Harriet Minty | 2019 |
| Carrier | Raylene Watts (voice) | 2019 |
| Anthem: Homunculus | Joan | 2019 |
| Broad City | Lisa | 2017–2019 |
| The Boss Baby: Back in Business | Turtleneck Superstar CEO Baby (voice) | 2018 |
| Bad Times at the El Royale | Darlene Sweet | 2018 |
| Widows | Belle | 2018 |
| The Tunnel | Mel | 2016 |
| Mr Selfridge | Alberta Hunter | 2016 |
| Chewing Gum | Magdalene | 2015 |
Cynthia Erivo Upcoming Projects
| Movies and TV Shows | Appearing as | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Wicked | Elphaba | In Production |
| Wicked: Part Two | Elphaba | Pre-production |
| Carrier | Raylene | Pre-production |
| Blink Speed | – | Pre-production |
| Prima Facie | – | Pre-production |