Erivo is an accomplished singer, performing on soundtracks and stages around the world. She got her big break when she was cast as Celie in The Color Purple musical, for which she won a Tony, Grammy and Emmy. When she’s acting, she brings muscularity to her roles, not just physically but emotionally, her expressive face revealing everything you need to know about the characters she plays. Her fingernails are often elaborately decorated, and sharp as talons. She wears her hair closely shorn, dyeing it blond, green, blue. Thanks to a rigorous fitness regimen, her body is finely toned.

Though petite in stature, Erivo takes up space and stands out. Erivo began performing at a young age and was classically trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The 30-Year Journey to AMC's Groundbreaking Native American Drama 'Dark Winds'Ĭynthia Erivo was born in South London in 1987 and raised by a single mother who always knew her daughter was destined to become a star.