CYNTHIA Erivo ended up in floods of tears after paying a visit to her old school in South London to watch students perform one of the hit songs from Wicked.
Cynthia, 38, took time out of her busy schedule pre Wicked: For Good hitting cinemas to surprise the lucky students of La Retraite Roman Catholic Girl’s School in Clapham Park, who had no idea she would be paying them a visit.
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Elphaba returned to her old stomping ground to surprise some singing pupilsCynthia was reduced to tears hearing the choir singCredit: BBC Radio 1The visit left Cynthia very emotional
The star made her dazzling entrance in the best possible way: by quietly sneaking into the room as students one by one noticed she was standing there.
The students looked on in utter disbelief, tinged with obvious excitement, before squealing and jumping for joy.
During the surprise gesture, organised by Greg James and his team at Radio 1, Cynthia sat front row in the audience of an auditorium while a starstruck group of teenage girls sang Wicked’s song For Good.
It was a very emotional moment for Cynthia, who couldn’t help but break down in tears.
Speaking about the touching performance once the song had wrapped up, Cynthia described how it was “very overwhelming” for her to be back at the school where she herself performed in a number of stage productions.
“I went to this school and left over 20 years ago so to come back and listen to you singing that song is really wonderful.
“Well done everyone, it’s so nice to see you all and be back here.”
As her voice was breaking, Cynthia told the equally emotional students: “I’m just really glad to have heard that. I’m not OK at all!”
The star then took questions from the teenagers, where one fan asked when she knew she wanted to perform for a living.
Cynthia replied: “I knew when I was five-years-old, there was something I just knew about singing, what it felt like to sing, what it felt like to connect and what it felt like to perform which I’ve always loved. That never changed.
“When I was five I was asked to sing Silent Night at the nativity play, I don’t know why they asked me to sing, I was playing a shepherd.
“But something about the way people reacted sparked a bit of joy. And I loved the fact that something I did made people happy.”
After taking more questions Cynthia, who didn’t have a father figure during adulthood, imparted words of encouragement to the group, encouraging them to never diminish the power of dreaming alongside putting in the work.
“I was right where you were, literally.
“I had some really wonderful teachers who helped and guided.
“Don’t be afraid of dreaming of those things and don’t be afraid of the hard work.”
Cynthia is currently finishing off her leg of premieres for Wicked’s eagerly anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good, set to come out in cinemas on Friday.
Alongside co-lead and pop powerhouse Ariana Grande, she’s walked many red carpets, defended Ari on the Yellow Brick Road from a recent fan attack, and undertaken countless amounts of interviews.
Though the leading ladies have created many unintentional memes during their Wicked days, it’s been a whirlwind of fun, emotion, and amazing talent watching everything unfold.
Cynthia used to perform at school productions there over two decades agoCynthia broke out into song in a treat for the young performersThe surprise was organised by Radio 1 DJ Greg James
IN her blue gingham dress, brown pigtails and trusty dog Toto by her side, Dorothy Gale is one of the most famous characters in Hollywood history.
But 86 years after original actress Judy Garland skipped down the yellow brick road, the school girl from Kansas is back on the big screen – being played by a Pilates instructor who lives in Surrey.
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Bethany Weaver plays Dorothy in Wicked: For GoodCredit: InstagramCynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are wildly popular in the leading rolesCredit: Alamy
Bethany Weaver, 30, has been unveiled as the woman portraying Dorothy in the big budget movie Wicked: For Good, which hits cinemas this Friday.
However, The Sun can reveal she only appears on screen for 69 seconds and says a total of six words — and Bethany’s friends may not even recognise her, as her face is never shown on screen.
It follows on from last year’s first film, simply titled Wicked, and completes the tale of the witches of Oz, Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, 38, and Ariana Grande, 32, as Glinda.
But while the first musical extravaganza was a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the second instalment’s plot runs parallel to that of the 1939 film, telling the tale from an entirely different perspective.
That means viewers will once again see Dorothy with the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion.
Explaining the decision not to show her face, director Jon M. Chu, 46, said: “I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with.
“[The sequel] is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, and she is a pawn in the middle of all of it.”
Cynthia added: “I think that’s such a wonderful thing to do because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy that they know.”
The film studio went to major lengths to keep her identity a secret, stopping her from attending the major premieres.
The cast and crew were banned from following or interacting with her on social media and on Instagram, she only had 1,041 followers before being formally announced.
She has had a string of theatrejobs in Oklahoma and Broken Wings after training at The Urdang Academy, and recently helped to choreograph a production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
But away from the stage, she has a less showbiz career as a Pilates instructor in Surrey.
Her casting ends a year of speculation, as fans had been convinced that Irish actress Alisha Weir, 16, who played the lead in 2022’s Matilda the Musical, would take the role.
She attended the London premiere of the first Wicked film last year wearing silver shoes, which was thought to be a reference to the original colour of the character’s ruby red heels in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
And even superstar Taylor Swift, 35, was at one point linked to the role.
Fans thought the video for her song Karma, which saw her skipping down a yellow brick road, was a clue, and an image of the singer dressed as Dorothy went viral before later being debunked as AI.
But with an all-star cast in Wicked: For Good, also featuring People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive Jonathan Bailey, 37, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, 63, and Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum, 73, there is plenty of star power to propel it to success.
Wicked, released last November, became the highest-grossing film of the year at the UK box office, raking in £61million in a matter of weeks.
Now the blockbuster sequel is being forecast to repeat its success, with expectations it will surpass the £56million made by A Minecraft Movie and the £46million raked in by Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy earlier this year.
Bosses at Universal Pictures are also hoping the movie will prove fruitful in awards season too, after the first flick landed ten Oscar nominations but only won in the Best Costume Design and Best Production Design categories.
Bethany runs pilates classes in SurreyCredit: Instagram/pilatesanddanceukThe actresses have struck up a very close friendship while working on the epic filmsCredit: Getty
The film is based on the second half of the Broadway musical, although two new songs were penned especially for the big-screen version, which will be available when the official soundtrack is released on Friday.
Ariana has a solo moment with The Girl in the Bubble while Cynthia gets a song on her own with No Place Like Home.
The tracks mean they could go head-to-head for the Best Original Song gong at the Oscars.
The movies were filmed back to back from December 2022 to January 2024 at studios in Elstree and Leavesden, Herts, although Ariana and Cynthia returned to the UK in May this year for last-minute reshoots.
An estimated $150m was spent on the film with millions more on marketing it – with the massive investment paying off for the first flick.
That one set a box office record for a stage-to-screen adaptation, making $756m globally.
And they are going all-out to market this film too.
Today, it was revealed that Brick Lane in East London has been transformed into Yellow Brick Lane, with the famous path from the Wizard of Oz now running down the road, along with several Wicked murals.
There have also been a raft of big brand tie-ins, with a slew of Wicked-themed products including a collection of Le Creuset cookware, Crocs, rugs, trainers, perfume, and even drinks and bakes at high street chain Greggs.
Wicked Barbie dolls are also expected to be one of the most in-demand toys this Christmas.
And its legacy is likely to be even more musicals making it to the big screen.
Following the success of the first film, Sabrina Carpenter, 26, has had a musical about Alice in Wonderland greenlit by the same movie studio.
Mamma Mia 3 is also expected to go ahead, with talk of Nicole Scherzinger, 47 – who had been linked to the role of Elphaba back in 2017 – starring in a film adaptation of Sunset Boulevard.
As for Cynthia and Ariana, they have spent the last two weeks on a promotional tour including premieres in Sao Paulo, Paris, London, Singapore and on Monday evening, New York.
The movies were filmed back to back from December 2022 to January 2024Credit: Alamy
However, it has taken its toll.
Cynthia, who wore a black gown featuring leather and feathers on the red carpet in the Big Apple, was unable to do interviews there after losing her voice entirely in the lead-up to the film’s release.
Meanwhile, talk during the promo run has turned to Ariana, who wore a pink tulle skirt and a black corseted bodice, and her relationship with her co-star Ethan Slater, 33.
Romance blossomed during filming, just after her marriage to estate agent Dalton Gomez crumbled, and following his split from his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his son, psychologist Lilly Jay.
But despite steering clear from each other on red carpets and declining to talk about each other, the couple are quietly still going strong after two and a half years as an item.
And while she isn’t saying goodbye to him, she is moving away from the role of Glinda, which she had dreamed about playing since she was ten years old.
She has dyed her peroxide blonde hair back to brown and has moved onto her next project, recently completing work on the latest film in the Meet the Parents franchise.
Reflecting on the release of the second – and final – film, Ariana was emotional.
She explained: “It’s been such an incredible ride and an incredible experience to create with people we love so much and respect so much creatively, but also who just have such great hearts.”
Speaking about the characters, who she and Cynthia auditioned for in 2021, she said: “It’s almost five years that we’ve spent with them. So, for them to finally be getting the full picture and to know the secrets we’ve known all along is very exciting.”
Ariana added: “This project will always be part of our lives.”
WHEN her best friend and co-star Ariana Grande was ambushed on the red carpet, quick-thinking Cynthia Erivo rushed to the rescue.
A prankster grabbed Ariana at the Singapore premiere of their new film Wicked: For Good on Thursday, but Cynthia, 38, stepped in and strong-armed the invader away.
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Cynthia Erivo stuns in green at the LA premiere of first Wicked movie last yearCredit: SplashCynthia and Ariana at the first European screening of Wicked: For Good in LondonCredit: Getty
The British actress admits she feels protective over Ariana, saying: “I love her, she’s a bright spark but you just want to take care of her. And we really took care of each other.”
Luckily loyal pal Cynthia was already fighting fit thanks to the gruelling stunts she had to perform for the eagerly anticipated sequel.
“The flying in harnesses, chafing, we had it. Chafing was like a funny word to me until I realised what chafing actually looked like when you had it, repetitively.
“It took months for my hips to heal, scratched palms bleeding, bloody nose, like it was bad.
“We were willing to do whatever it took to do this, but this one was a big one for us.”
Meanwhile, Cynthia says she and Ariana prefer to go to bed early — like a pair of “grandmothers”.
The star revealed that because of the time difference and their schedules, they often struggle to catch up when she is in London and Ariana is at home in LA.
SHUNNED BY DAD
But while gearing up for the long-awaited sequel of the big-screen musical, 32-year-old Ariana, who plays Glinda, broke routine to make sure they could chat.
Cynthia, who plays Elphaba in the films, said of one recent late-night text exchange with Ariana: “She’s a sweetheart. I was like, ‘Why are you up so late?’ Because we’re like grandmothers, the two of us.
“We like to sleep early. For some reason I was up at 11 here, which meant she was up at two wherever she was. I said, ‘Why are you up so late?’ She was like, ‘I know, it’s new, isn’t it? I’m never up this late’.
“I said, ‘No you’re not, what’s going on?’. And she said, ‘I’m taking every second I can get right now because you’re usually asleep by now’.”
The first Wicked movie became the highest-grossing UK release of 2024, taking £59.6million at the box office.
It led to Cynthia being nominated for an Oscar, Bafta, Critics’ Choice, Golden Globe and SAG Award for Best Actress.
The sequel, Wicked: For Good, is expected to be just as big and hits UK cinemas on Friday, continuing the tale of the witches of Oz.
Adapted from the hit musical, Wicked follows Elphaba, a student sorceress shunned by her own father for her green skin, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, while her spoiled roommate Glinda ends up as the Good Witch of the North.
Cynthia tells how she endured similar heartache when her own dad walked out of her life for good when she was a teenager.
She and her sister Stephanie were very young when their Nigerian father left their mother Edith, a nurse, to bring up the girls alone.
Edith remarried when Cynthia was five and she continued to see her dad “two or three times a week”.
I think he just was not set up to be a dad. I don’t think it was his bag
Cynhtia
She told The Armchair Expert podcast: “My mum was really, I think, kind and gave him the space to come and visit if he wanted to.
“We would go over to him from time to time as well. She really made the space for us if he wanted to build a relationship.
“And he just didn’t. I think he was just not set up to be a dad. I don’t think it was his bag.”
Recalling how she became estranged from her father, Cynthia added: “I was 16 when my dad decided not to be a part of my life.”
The actress pictured at a 2021 awards bash alongside her mum EdithCredit: Getty
By then, she had already joined a local youth theatre group and was singing hymns at a Catholic church near her home in Stockwell, South West London.
She went on to start a degree in musical psychology at the University of East London, but quit after securing a place at top acting school Rada.
Her early bid to break into UK telly flopped with an appearance on Channel 4 reality show Trust Me, I’m A Teenager and a small part in ITV period drama Mr Selfridge. Hopes of a breakthrough in Simon Cowell and
Harry Hill’s £6million X Factor musical, I Can’t Sing, were dashed as the run closed after seven weeks.
But her singing voice impressed casting directors.
She made her West End debut in the stage musical The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg and, in 2013, won a place in a British stage adaptation of The Color Purple, the 1985 movie that starred Whoopi Goldberg.
Since then, her roles have included Harriet Tubman in the film Harriet and a part in Netflix thriller Luther: The Fallen Sun.
But the one person she always wanted to impress was her father.
She secretly hoped with her becoming famous, he would change his mind about being in her life. Cynthia said: “I think I was using, for a small amount of time, my career as a conduit to find a way to get him back.
‘Look what you gave up, you’re going to regret leaving this’. Yeah, that kind of thing.”
Cynthia has turned to therapy to help her deal with the trauma.
‘MAKE MISTAKES’
She said: “Until you get your head around it and get some control on what it is that you’re actually looking for, what you’re trying to fix in that, it will keep going.
“Thank goodness for a good therapist — that s**t really helped.”
Now, she has finally let go and learned to forgive. She told The Cruz Show podcast: “It took me ages to let go of parents. It’s like my father, I had to let that go and it’s taken me a long time to get there . . . to realise that it’s a human being who is also fallible and who will make mistakes.”
The co-stars attending the Critics’ Choice awards in California earlier this yearCredit: Getty
Cynthia admits that clinging on to that pain for such a long time held her back.
She said: “When you let go, you have to start living. What I keep doing is trying to find the things that challenge me the most, that force me to learn more, that keep me honest in my craft, that don’t let me get complacent and lazy.”
Wicked was a challenge. The movies were filmed in the UK in chronological order, back-to-back, between Dec- ember 2022 and January 2024, with a break in 2023 due to an actors’ strike.
Cynthia, who is dating Lena Waithe, an American actress, producer, and screenwriter, admits that even today she still gets crippled by anxiety.
She explained: “I think if I lose the nervousness, then I know something’s wrong. Because my nervousness tells me I care. The second that disappears, we’ve got a problem.
“So I relish the moments when my heart’s beating fast and I’m nervous. I always forget the first line. Whenever I’m about to go on, the first line will go out my head. That’s nerves.
“But when I stand in front of people, it always comes back. It means I care about being here, I care about the people watching.”
Thank goodness for a good therapist, that s**t really helped
Cynthia
When those jitters hit, she relies on strict pre-performance rituals. She said: “Breathing for me is always key.
“And I always say a prayer before I go on stage. Also, nervousness can sometimes be the mirror looking at yourself.
When Los Angeles County Museum of Art director Michael Govan first stepped up to the podium at the museum’s star-packed 14th annual Art + Film Gala, the Dodgers were down one point to the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning of the final game of the World Series.
There was no giant screen in the massive tent where a decadent dinner was being served Saturday night in celebration of honorees artist Mary Corse and director Ryan Coogler. Instead guests in elaborate gowns and tuxedos discreetly glanced at their phones propped on tables and at the base of flower vases across the star-packed venue. This became apparent when Miguel Rojas hit a game-tying home run at the top of the ninth inning and the whole room erupted in cheers.
Michael Govan, CEO of LACMA, wearing Gucci, speaks onstage during the 2025 LACMA Art+Film Gala.
(Amy Sussman / Getty Images for LACMA)
When Govan returned to the stageto begin the well-deserved tributes to the artist and filmmaker of the hour, the game had been won, the effusive cheering had died down, and the phones had been respectfully put away.
“Go Dodgers!” Govan said, before joking that LACMA had engineered the win for this special evening. The room was juiced.
It made Los Angeles feel like the center of the universe for a few hours and was fitting for an event that famously brings together the city’s twin cultural bedrocks of art and cinema, creating a rarefied space where the two worlds mix and mingle in support of a shared vision of recognizing L.A.’s immeasurable contributions to the global cultural conversation.
“This is a celebration that can only happen in L.A. — where art, film and creativity are deeply intertwined,” Govan said. “I always say this is the most creative place on Earth.”
The event raised a record $6.5 million in support of the museum and its programs. Co-chairs Leonardo DiCaprio and LACMA trustee Eva Chow hosted a cocktail party and dinner that drew celebrities including Dustin Hoffman, Cynthia Erivo, Cindy Crawford, Queen Latifah, Angela Bassett, Lorde, Demi Moore, Hannah Einbinder, Charlie Hunnam and Elle Fanning alongside local elected officials and appointees including U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles); L.A. County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Lindsey Horvath; L.A. Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky; West Hollywood Councilmember John M. Erickson, and Kristin Sakoda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture.
Sakoda said she thoroughly enjoyed the festivities “as representative of the incredibly diverse culture of Los Angeles and how that speaks to our entire nation.”
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1.George Lucas arrives at the LACMA Art + Film Gala on Saturday.(Jordan Strauss / Invision via Associated Press)2.Elle Fanning arrives at the LACMA Art + Film Gala on Saturday.(Jordan Strauss / Invision via Associated Press)3.Angela Bassett arrives at the LACMA Art + Film Gala on Saturday.(Jordan Strauss / Invision via Associated Press)
A special nod of gratitude went to previous gala honorees in attendance including artists Mark Bradford, James Turrell, Catherine Opie, Betye Saar, Judy Baca, George Lucas and Park Chan-Wook. Leaders from many other local arts institutions also showed up including the Hammer Museum’s director, Zoe Ryan; California African American Museum Director Cameron Shaw; and MOCA’s interim Director Ann Goldstein.
Rising in the background was LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries, the 110,000-square-foot Peter Zumthor-designed building scheduled to open in April as the new home for the museum’s 150,000-object permanent collection.
“Every day I’m in that little building behind installing thousands of artworks,” Govan said to cheers. “I can’t wait for people to rediscover our permanent collection, from old favorites to new acquisitions. It’s a monumental gift to L.A., and in addition to L.A. County and the public, I would like to thank the person whose generosity brought us to this landmark moment, Mr. David Geffen.”
Geffen sat in a sea of black ties and glittering gowns, near Disney CEO Bob Iger and DiCaprio — who had been filmed earlier in the week in attendance at Game 5 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Govan also gave a special acknowledgment to former LACMA board co-chair, Elaine Wynn, who died earlier this year and was one of the museum’s most steadfast champions. Wynn contributed $50 million to the new building — one of the first major gifts in support of the effort. Govan noted that the northern half of the building will be named the Elaine Wynn wing.
Honoree Ryan Coogler, wearing Gucci, speaks onstage during the 2025 LACMA Art+Film Gala.
(Amy Sussman / Getty Images for LACMA)
Left unmentioned was the fact that earlier in the week LACMA’s employees announced they are forming a union, LACMA United, representing more than 300 workers from across all departments, including curators, educators, guest relations associates and others. One worker told The Times there were no plans to demonstrate at the gala, which raises much-needed funds for the museum.
The crowd sat rapt as the night’s guests of honor, Corse and Coogler, humbly spoke of their journeys in their respective art forms, with Govan introducing them as “artists whose brilliant groundbreaking work challenges us to see the world differently.”
The night concluded with an enthusiastic performance by Doja Cat on an outdoor stage in the shadow of the David Geffen Galleries, the lights girding its massive concrete underbelly like stars in the sky.
“It was a beautiful evening of community coming together around something that reminds us of our shared humanity at a time when we need it,” said Yaroslavsky with a smile as the evening wound down.
