Cynthia Erivo is an English singer, songwriter and actress. Born in London in 1987, she trained at the Royal Academy for Dramatic Art, and subsequently originated the role of Celie Harris in West End production of The Color Purple. After it transferred to Broadway, Erivo won the 2016 Tony award for Best Actress in a Musical. She has also appeared in television and film, working with Steve McQueen in his 2018 film, Widows, and portraying the iconic Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic. She was nominated for an Academy Award for the track she wrote and performed for the film, entitled Stand Up.