Cynthia Erivo isn’t a new face in the entertainment business. Though Wicked Part 1 is, undoubtedly, Erivo’s biggest role to date when it comes to both budget and fan attention, she’s been a staple in Hollywood for a while now, from Broadway to the big screen.
Erivo was born in London and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before launching her versatile career. Her breakthrough role came when she played Celie in the revival of The Color Purple on Broadway from 2015 to 2017. That performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance. That’s a lot of accolades!
Related: What happens in the Wicked movie? We’ve got spoilers!
She then transitioned to the big screen, where she appeared in movies like Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. But it was her role as Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic Harriet that truly turned Erivo from just a talented musical theater actress into a star. That performance earned her two separate Academy Award nominations—one for Best Actress and one for Best Original Song (Stand Up).
Considering how many big roles she’s played, and the fact that she’s set to be a leading character not just in Wicked Part 1, but also in Wicked Part 2, what is Cynthia Erivo’s net worth? How much did she make for Wicked?
Cynthia Erivo’s net worth and how much she made for Wicked
Cynthia Erivo’s net worth is reportedly around $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That’s a decent number, though it of course pales in comparison to the $230 million her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande is reportedly worth. Erivo’s net worth comes from her acting, which includes the movies mentioned above and also her turn as Aretha Franklin in the television series Genius and lending her voice to The Boss Baby: Back in Business.
If it feels like considering her star power and the roles she has played Erivo’s net worth should be higher, it’s because Broadway isn’t really as high-paying a job as some people might think, despite the fact that Erivo was the lead in a very popular, Tony-winning production. But Erivo is expected to make a significant amount for Wicked, even if it once again pales in comparison to what co-star Ariana Grande is being paid.
The salaries for Wicked have not been confirmed, but reports indicate Erivo earned $1 million for the role of Elphaba. That makes her far from the best-paid member of the cast, with Ariana Grande reportedly making $15 million for the film, and Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum making $2 million each for playing Madame Morrible and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz respectively.
Still, Wicked is sure to raise Erivo’s star power even more, so next time we see her she will probably be commanding even bigger numbers for her performance.
