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Cynthia Erivo: Abandoned at 16, Finds Power
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Erivo recounts father's abandonment at London Underground station.
- Her memoir details parallels between her life and Elphaba's.
- She now finds acceptance, focusing on her mother's strength.
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has opened up about a profoundly painful childhood experience: her father's abandonment. At 16, on a London Underground platform, he told her he never wanted to see her again, a moment that deeply impacted her.
Erivo's new memoir, Simply More, explores this event and draws striking parallels to her role as Elphaba in the hit film Wicked. Like Elphaba, whose story is shaped by a difficult relationship with her father, Erivo's journey has been influenced by her own upbringing.
Now 38, Erivo expresses acceptance regarding her father, no longer seeking reconciliation. Her focus remains on her mother, Edith, whose strength and support were foundational in raising Erivo and her sister after her father's absence.
