Cynthia Erivo Reacts to Best Actress Oscar Nomination For Wicked: 'It Is Sacrilege To Let Them Pass'

Cynthia Erivo reflects on receiving the Best Actress Oscar nomination for Wicked as she gets one step closer to clinching the EGOT status. Read on to know what the actress said.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Jan 24, 2025 | 04:14 PM IST | 54.4K

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Cynthia Erivo was on a flight to the Sundance Film Festival when she heard that she had been nominated for Best Actress for her role as Elphaba in Wicked. Overcome, she wept on the flight as she traveled to accept the festival's Visionary Award.

"Moments like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, it is sacrilege to let them pass by without a moment of gratitude. I am grateful, grateful to @theacademy, grateful to be a part of something that makes people feel seen," she said of the recognition with a course post on Instagram expressing her heartfelt gratitude.

Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, has received a total of 10 Oscar nominations, including Ariana Grande's first-ever Oscar nod as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Glinda in the film. Eviro and Grande start as rivals in the musical but eventually become deep and transformative friends.

Eviro considers this an unbelievable recognition. She added in her caption, "I often get asked what I would say to my younger self. Well, today there’s nothing to be said. She is smiling, beaming, glowing from ear to ear. That speaks volumes."

Erivo's Oscar nomination brings her closer to her EGOT status; indeed, the nod has set her on another milestone within a stellar career.

Speaking to Deadline about her potential EGOT victory with an Oscar win, she said, "I don’t really know how to process this. The whole thing is madness and amazing. But I don’t know; this is just the most wonderful thing to have gone through and to experience. I’m so glad for it. I’m really pleased. It’s really cool."

Wicked has reportedly raked in USD 709.9 million, becoming the highest-grossing movie musical to date. Cynthia Erivo returns in Wicked: For Good, the sequel, which is slated for a November 2025 release.