Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Cynthia Erivo Slams Accusations That She Was A 'Woke Hire' For 'Wicked' Role

Cynthia Erivo
Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb

The actor told Elle U.K. how she'd heard "conversations" about her being a "woke hire" to play Elphaba in the hit musical film—and she hit back.

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo fired back at racist accusations she was a "woke hire" to play the role of Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West, in the two-part film adaptation of the musical film.

Since its release in November, Wicked so far grossed over $500 million at the global box office.


But while the origin story of the characters from The Wizard of Oz, based on the Broadway musical Wicked, resonated with international viewers, some conservatives groused about the film's themes of identity and equality and its casting, primarily of its lead.

In response to the backlash, Erivo, a British actor born to Nigerian immigrant parents, set the record straight about her casting not being a result of improving optics of Hollywood discrimination.

The 37-year-old told Elle UK:

‘There have definitely been conversations about me getting this role as a 'woke hire.' "
"I had to audition, just like everybody else. And I’m glad I had to do that."

She added:

"I have the credentials for it. I’ve done the work. But I’m glad they got to be sure about the choice."
"It allows me to take this, and to know that I had to work really hard for it."



Fans rooted for her.

@elleuk/Instagram

@elleuk/Instagram

The misunderstood character faces bigotry and is eventually regarded as evil due to her green skin pigmentation.

The book on which the musical was based, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, serves as a cautionary tale about what happens when people are who perceived to be "different" are subject to ostracization.

Because of her appearance, the role of Elphaba on stage in various productions around the world, including Broadway, has been played by actors of all different ethnic backgrounds.

An example of a Wicked boycott from certain moviegoers was a subReddit thread about a friend who refused to see the film because of its "political" message in casting Erivo, because she's Black.

Gina Loudon, a right-wing conservative media personality who was part of President-elect Donald Trump's media advisory board for his 2020 campaign, caused controversy last month after arguing Wicked was racist against White people.

"The racism and the racial appropriation I just thought was offensive, frankly," she said on the far-right streaming channel, Real America's Voice.

During her rant, she objected to the casting of Ariana Grande as Galinda the Good Witch, falsely claiming she was "obviously a Hispanic woman.”

BTW, Gina, Grande is of Italian descent.

Thank U, next.

Here's what social media users have been saying in response to the racist controversy while praising Erivo's stellar performance in Wicked.



Erivo also told Elle U.K. that she didn't want her ethnic identity to vanish completely with Elphaba's makeup during filming.

“I didn’t want to erase the thing that I am underneath the green,” she said, adding:

“For me, it was about using my own experience as the ‘other,’ as someone who exists in that way."
"So, that’s partially the reason why Elphaba has braids, as opposed to straight hair.”

Erivo is currently an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner.

Positive buzz about her performance has ramped up talks that Erivo could win an Oscar for her role, which would make her an EGOT winner.


Despite the conservative gripe, her future is unlimited and nothing can bring her down.

More from Entertainment

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less