Cynthia Erivo’s EGOT Is Only an Oscar Win Away

Cynthia Erivo’s EGOT Is Only an Oscar Win Away

Cynthia Erivo is back in the EGOT running. Should the Wicked star win an Oscar for best actress, Erivo would join Hollywood’s most exclusive club of stars who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

Only 19 people have won all four trophies before. Erivo is currently part of another select group — those who are only one away.

The broadway superstar won a Tony in 2016 for her performance as Celie Harris Johnson in Broadway’s The Color Purple and took home a Grammy a year later for best musical theater album for the same role. She won a Daytime Emmy Award, also in 2017, for a performance on Today with the rest of her The Color Purple cast.

In 2020, Erivo was nominated for a best actress and best original song (“Stand Up”) Oscar for Harriet. The song earned her a Grammy nomination as well. This year’s Wicked nom marks the actress’ second shot at an EGOT.

Wicked earned 10 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards, including for best picture and a best supporting actress nod for Erivo’s castmate Ariana Grande. The film tied with The Brutalist for the second-most number of nominations, behind Emilia Pérez at 13.

“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,” Erivo wrote of her recognition on social media. “I am grateful, grateful to @theacademy, grateful to be a part of something that makes people feel seen, grateful to be a cog in the wheel of a piece that makes us believe in magic, grateful to have experienced a dream come true, and deeply deeply grateful for this unbelievable recognition.”

The actress also recognized “my sister” Ariana Grande, writing “what a joy it is to be here with you watching as you ascend and amaze and become the actress you were meant to be. Congratulations first time nominee, I’m so so proud of you!! There is no one in the world I would have wanted to do this with more than you.”