Wicked star Cynthia Erivo's humble early life in London

She might be one of the biggest stars on the planet, but did you know Cynthia Erivo’s life started right here in London?

The Wicked star was born in Stockwell, South London, on January 8, 1987.

The 37-year-old superstar, Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo was born to Nigerian immigrant parents.

Her parents separated very young, her mother Edith was a nurse and she has a sister named Nicolette.

Erivo, attended La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School in Clapham Park.

As a child, she had roles in Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle and later appeared on television in Trust Me, I'm a Teenager.

Erivo started a degree in music psychology at the University of East London in 2004, however, a year into her course, she applied to and subsequently trained at, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art [RADA], also in London. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting in 2010.

Ervio, who stands at just 5ft tall, first appeared in roles on British television programmes such as Chewing Gum and The Tunnel.

She went on to appear in many stage productions and musicals including I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.

Her success didn’t stop there, in 2013, Erivo went on to play Celie Harris in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of The Color Purple, a role which Whoopi Goldberg had originated onscreen.

In 2015, she made her Broadway debut in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple reprising her role as Celie Harris alongside American actresses Jennifer Hudson.

Her professional accolades are plentiful spanning the stage and screen. She has appeared in many films including the live Disney adaptation of Pinocchio. She also portrayed Aretha Franklin in the third season of the anthology series Genius, which premiered in March 2021.

Erivo has won countless awards including a Tony Award, A Grammy, and an Emmy. If she wins an Oscar for her performance in Wicked, she will be the youngest person ever to achieve a complete EGOT.

Despite being born and raised in London Erivo now lives across the pond in the US.

The British actress and singer appeared at the Los Angeles LGBT Centre gala at the Shrine Auditorium, where she was honoured with the Schrader Award for her achievements in entertainment and activism within the LGBT+ community. Erivo, 37, later appeared on the cover of British Vogue, identifying herself as bisexual.

The star said coming out was a “moment of relaxation and acceptance of everything that I am”.