The irony could not be starker, nor more thematically resonant with the story of Wicked itself. Erivo, a London-born performer of extraordinary calibre, portrays Elphaba – a character whose green skin makes her an outcast in Oz, overlooked and alienated despite her exceptional talents. This parallel becomes even more pointed when considering that Erivo stands just one Oscar away from achieving the coveted EGOT status, having already secured Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards. Her journey from Stockwell to Hollywood and Broadway has been marked by groundbreaking performances and critical acclaim in projects like The Color Purple and Genius: Aretha. Yet, in her home country’s media landscape, she finds herself relegated to the shadows of her American co-star.
