Multi-talented Cynthia Erivo is an English singer, songwriter and award-winning actress famous for portraying Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet. A triple-threat in the entertainment world, she has received several accolades including a Grammy Award, a Tony Award and a Daytime Emmy award as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. She also received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for her remarkable portrayal of iconic singer Aretha Franklin in the National Geographic series Genuis: Aretha. The powerful, soulful singer has released numerous singles including ‘God Only Knows’ with John Legend which reached the top 20 on the Billboard R&B chart, and album Ch. 1 Vs. 1 in 2021. Her performance of ‘Stand Up’ from the movie Harriet at the 2020 Oscars has been viewed over 12 million times on YouTube.
The London-born star first began acting in a stage production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in 2011 before gaining recognition for her starring role in the Broadway revival of musical The Colour Purple in 2015, for which she won a Tony Award. After venturing into movies including thriller Bad Times at the El Royale and Widows, she landed the role of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic Harriet, later receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her incredible portrayal. Erivo also performed the rousing track ‘Stand Up’ on the film’s soundtrack, earning her a nomination in the category for Best Original Song.