Ever since “Wicked” hit theaters last November, Cynthia Erivo has been defying gravity.
From starring in one of 2024’s biggest movies to embarking on a press tour with co-star Ariana Grande during which interview after interview went viral, the British singer and actor is headed for another landmark year. On Wednesday, Erivo was announced as the host of the 78th Tony Awards. A day before, it was revealed that she would play the lead in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Hollywood Bowl.
The first-time Tonys host will welcome the ceremony back to New York City’s Radio City Music Hall for the first time since 2022. Nominations will be announced May 1 and the awards show will take place June 8.
“I am so proud and excited to take on this glorious honor,” Erivo said in a statement. “I am looking forward to ushering the theatre community at large through a night that celebrates the wonderful performances we have witnessed throughout the year. I hope I can rise to the occasion.”
A few months after the hosting gig, she will play Jesus as a part of the Hollywood Bowl’s 2025 season. The musical will make its long-awaited return to the Bowl after a pandemic hiatus. The three-night production (Aug. 1-3) will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo.
Erivo is also up for an Academy Award next month for her portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked.” The box-office juggernaut — the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical — earned 10 nominations.
Erivo is only an Oscar away from EGOT status — she won a Tony in 2016 for her performance as Celie in “The Color Purple,” a Grammy for musical theater album for the same role and a Daytime Emmy for a performance on NBC’s “Today” show with “The Color Purple” cast.
“Someone said to me that I was going to fall in love with the green more than my own face. Strangely enough, the opposite happened,” Erivo previously told The Times of playing Elphaba. “I loved being green. I think Elphaba is beautiful. But every time I took the makeup off, I had an appreciation for the skin that I live in every day. I’ve always had appreciation for it, but this made it really clear.”
The second installment of the “Wicked” adaptation, “Wicked: For Good,” opens in theaters Nov. 21.
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