10 hours ago
Cynthia Erivo's Same-Sex Partner Celebrates 'Wicked'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Cynthia Erivo's partner, producer, screenwriter, and actor Lena Waithe, hasn't been shy about her love for "Wicked" the movie – or its star.
"As the film hit theaters Nov. 22, Lena – whose relationship with the Tony Award winner went public in June 2022 – shared videos and photos from other accounts to her Instagram Story praising both the movie's production team and Cynthia's performance," E! News reported.
Erivo "has received sweet support from her longtime partner throughout the film's multiple premieres, including her attendance at the Los Angeles and London events," E! noted.
"Lena, 40, also shared a post from Cynthia, 37, detailing her magical experience filming the adaptation of the Broadway show," the outlet relayed.
Waithe has been a producer on a number of films, including "Dear White People" and "Step Sisters," as well as having written for television, including a stint as a staff writer for "Bones." Waithe has also created several TV series, including "The Chi," and served as executive producer on the series "Them."
As an actor, she has appeared in numerous films and television projects, including HBO's "Westworld," "Transparent," and the small-screen version of "Dear White People."
"Though the pair has kept their relationship mostly out of the spotlight, Lena – who wed longtime partner Alana Mayo in 2019, but separated a few months later – previously shared that meeting Cynthia in 2018 was a very memorable moment," E! recalled.
The two met at the Met Gala, the writeup added, recalling Waithe telling Variety, "I had seen her in 'The Color Purple' twice, I remember seeing her on TV when Oprah talked about doing it and her being on the screen, I remember [thinking], 'Who is this tiny person with a British accent?'"
The answer to that, in part: The London-born Erivo took the 2016 Tony Award for her starring role in "The Color Purple," and was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in "Genius: Aretha." Erivo also scored an Oscar nomination for her turn as Harriet Tubman in the 2019 Kasi Lemons-directed film "Harriet Tubman."
Now she's "Defying Gravity" with co-star Ariana Grande in the first part of director Jon M. Chu's epic film adaptation of the Broadway musical phenom, which Grande recently hinted could contain some sapphic vibes.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.