Cynthia Erivo — Wicked, Wild & Wise — is here!!!

Cynthia Erivo, the Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and producer, known for her breakout role in *The Color Purple* and most recently as Alphaba in *Wicked*, joins "We Can Do Hard Things" to discuss her new book, *Simply More*. This episode delves into Erivo’s deeply personal journey of cultivating self-respect, embracing her authentic "too muchness," and learning to trust and ask for help after profound early life experiences. Her central thesis is a commitment to dignity and truth, both on and off stage, allowing her to show up fully as herself in every aspect of life.

Erivo illustrates her philosophy through compelling personal anecdotes, such as her ritual of getting dressed up for bed in matching loungewear and robes, a practice she sees as a daily act of self-love and intentionality, irrespective of who sees her [02:02, 04:03]. She reveals how a traumatic abandonment by her father at age 16 left her feeling "closed off" and unable to ask for help, a pattern she actively worked to dismantle through therapy, particularly when overwhelmed during her *Color Purple* success [21:24, 25:31, 26:33]. This struggle to trust and accept assistance informed her nuanced understanding of the Glinda/Alphaba dynamic, recognizing that journeys to shared destinations often unfold at different paces [17:19].

A pivotal moment for Erivo was a drama school experience where she was asked to sing behind a curtain for other, sick performers, making her feel "invisible" and ashamed of misusing her gift [28:37, 29:40]. This fueled her "daily commitment to be seen," influencing her insistence on presenting her true self, even without makeup, ensuring people "actually see me" [31:42, 32:43]. She champions her "too muchness" as an embrace of creativity and authenticity, from her distinctive nails—which she argues foster connection rather than push people away—to her habit of asking "why" in meetings, believing genuine inquiry leads to better decisions and prevents getting "down any road that you're on the wrong road" [33:45, 35:48, 38:51].

Erivo also challenges conventional acting approaches, deeming method acting dangerous, especially for women playing roles that often involve trauma. Instead, she advocates for "mining the things that I already understand" and funneling them through her body [42:19, 44:02]. Her experience playing Jesus in *Jesus Christ Superstar* exemplified this, as she grounded the performance in human experiences of pain, love, and fear, facing both intense excitement and anger from audiences but focusing on the faith's core message of love [45:02, 47:09]. She interpreted critical feedback from other women not as a personal slight, but as a reflection of their own internalized limitations and beliefs [52:14].

Listeners will walk away with a profound appreciation for living an intentional, authentic life, understanding that personal growth often stems from confronting past hurts. Erivo’s journey inspires embracing one’s full self, including the "rough parts," as a continuous "offering" to the world, demonstrating that even from darkness, brightness and joy can always be found [57:24, 58:50].