Wicked's Cynthia Erivo calls out people asking her why she's bald

20 December 2024, 16:09

By Sam Prance

Cynthia Erivo has explained why it's been important to her to do Wicked press without hair.

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Cynthia Erivo has spoken out against trolling she's experienced about her bald head on the Wicked press tour.

Cynthia is known for turning looks. Whether she's rocking micro braids in her portrayal of Elphaba on screen or wearing custom Dior on the Wicked red carpet, it's impossible not to be mesmerised by Cynthia's sense of fashion. Cynthia has also used the Wicked press tour as an opportunity to pay homage to the Wicked Witch of the West.

Nevertheless, Cynthia has also faced unwarranted criticism over her appearance. First of all, people asked Cynthia invasive questions about her long nails and now she's been subject to mean comments about her bald head.

Read more: Wicked's Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande say Elphaba and Glinda are queer
Read more: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's Wicked audition tapes are going viral

A day in the life of Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo

Speaking to Elle UK, Cynthia opened up about comments she's seen about her hair. She said: "I keep spotting people saying, why is she bald? She needs to get a wig. Why does it bother you so much that I don’t want to wander around with blonde tresses? I like my bald head. There’s nothing wrong with my hair. It grows very fast. I just like my face."

Cynthia then explained that she refuses to edit her appearance to make it more palatable to other people. She said: "When I walk into a room, I’m not pretending. I’m gonna come in with my nose ring, I’m gonna come in with my ear- rings and my many piercings and my nails, and I made that decision a long time ago to just, like, be."

Cynthia added that she takes this mindset into her auditions: "In my very early twenties, I was trying to fit in. But I remember, early on, walking into an audition, and seeing people going in as the character, and not as themselves. Because they wanted to be seen as the character."

She ended by saying: "I believe that, if you walk in as yourself, just wholly you, you give anyone who’s watching a chance to see you transform; to become a character, right in front of them, with no need for a costume."

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the LA premiere of Wicked. Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Elsewhere, Cynthia spoke about why it was important for her to incorporate elements of her personal Black identity into Elphaba's aesthetic: "I was conscious that I didn’t want to erase the thing that I am underneath the green."

She said: "It was about using my own experience as the 'other', as someone who exists in that way. So, that’s the reason why Elphaba has braids, as opposed to straight hair. It’s the reason why she has long nails."