Cynthia Erivo, Academy Award nominee and current star of West End’s Dracula, will give a career-spanning conversation at Oxford University next month.
On May 5, the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winners will participate in a discussion with Dr. Stacey L. Smith, founder of USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, to receive the inaugural Icon Award. Erivo will also announce scholarships of the same name to the USC School of Dramatic Arts and the Cynthia Erivo Film Scholarship at the University of Oxford, which will support students studying theater, theater, film and other entertainment fields.
This scholarship is supported by Jason and Yvonne Lee, the USC School of Dramatic Arts, and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Winners will be selected beginning in fall 2026 and by the start of the fall semester.
“Cynthia Erivo is a key voice whose work, advocacy and spirit resonate and are needed in today’s entertainment industry,” Dr. Smith said in a statement. “Her commitment to supporting the next generation of filmmakers is extraordinary, and this event will showcase her unique vision and incredible talent.”
The event, titled “Conversations with Cynthia Erivo,” will be held at the newly opened Somen Concert Hall at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Humanities Center, an arts and humanities venue in Oxford’s Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. The discussion is part of the Schwarzman Center’s cultural program, which executive producer Josie Bamford said “seeks to be a hub that brings together leading artists, performers, scholars, and the public for engaging and wide-ranging discussions.”
“Cynthia Erivo and Stacey Smith discussing storytelling and entertainment will be a great example of that mission,” Bamford continued. “It is particularly exciting that Oxford students will benefit from interacting with leading artists like Cynthia and have the opportunity to apply for this new film scholarship. This will enable young people, regardless of their background, to engage and pursue the arts and gain opportunities within the creative industries themselves.”
Tickets for the conversation will go on sale to Schwarzman Center members on April 6 (10 a.m. local time) and to the general public on April 13 through the Center’s website.
