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It was confirmed on January 6th that Cynthia Erivo will not be attending this Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards ceremony. Cynthia Erivo was nominated for Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) for her role as Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good.
This nomination marks a historic moment for Erivo. She became the first Black woman to win the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category twice, following her first nomination last year for an original film in the series. In addition to this year’s Globe Awards, the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture, Box Office Performance, Best Original Song (for “No Place Like Home” and “Girl in the Bubble”), and Best Supporting Actress for co-star Ariana Grande.
According to Variety, Erivo’s absence was due to scheduling conflicts with his current theater project in London. She is starring in the West End production of Dracula. The film is a one-woman stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel, in which she plays all 23 characters, including the vampire of the title. The production opens at the Noel Coward Theater in February and runs until the end of May.
Variety reported that Erivo is “immersed in production” on Dracula, making it difficult for him to travel to Los Angeles for the Golden Globes. The rehearsal and performance schedule for solo work is demanding, leaving little room for long-distance travel during awards season.
Dracula marks Erivo’s return to the West End stage, more than a decade after her acclaimed performance as Celie in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple, which launched her Tony Award-winning Broadway career.
Erivo said the past year has been a whirlwind of projects that have pushed her creatively and logistically. “At one point, things were happening that I couldn’t even imagine making the list,” she told The Hollywood Reporter last month, reflecting on a year that included opening the Oscars with Ariana Grande, performing at Coachella, hosting the Tony Awards, releasing a studio album and memoir, shooting multiple movies, and returning to press and awards shows for Wicked: For Good in the middle of rehearsals for Dracula.
she continued. “If I feel like[an opportunity]might be something I have to learn, that’s really scary. It’s going to force me to find something different in my character, something different in who I am. Then I say yes.” The actress added that although her schedule is demanding, she embraces these challenges as an opportunity to grow and explore new roles.
