Cynthia Erivo has recalled the precise moment she learned she had been nominated for Best Actress at the upcoming Oscars, while also revealing how her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande reacted to her own nomination.
The highly anticipated nominations were announced Thursday morning as 38-year-old Cynthia traveled by plane from London to Utah for the Sundance Film Festival.
However, unreliable WiFi nearly caused the actress to miss the news altogether.
Speaking with host Elvis Mitchell at The Elvis Suite, presented by Darling & Co. in Park City, Utah, Cynthia explained that the plane’s internet service was unavailable during the first few minutes after takeoff.
The connection eventually returned, but Cynthia said she was too anxious to actively search for the nominations list.
“We started taking off and WiFi comes on, so I log into the WiFi,” she recalled of the moment, according to a DailyMail.com reporter in attendance.
Cynthia Erivo described learning about her Best Actress Oscar nomination while attending the Sundance Film Festival
She also recounted Ariana Grande’s emotional response to her own Oscar nomination
Cynthia earned a Best Actress nomination for playing Elphaba, while Ariana was recognized for her role as Glinda in Wicked
“I don’t like to know what’s happening until I know what’s happening, [so] I sort of put my phone away,” she said.
“It’s logged into the WiFi. If it happens, I’m sure I will know because things will come through and I’ll see it.”
When no notifications appeared, Cynthia said she tried to take her mind off the announcement.
The actress, speaking before an intimate audience at Firewood restaurant, said she put on “some terrible reality show” in the hope of falling asleep.
“I look over [at my phone] and nothing’s happening. It’s sort of like 1:45 or something,” she continued. “This is a nightmare, this is a nightmare!”
“And then at like five [minutes] to 2 [am], my phone goes nuts. I had [just] fallen asleep and then woke up and my phone is going off.”
After seeing a stream of congratulatory messages from family and friends confirming her Best Actress nomination, Cynthia said she “proceeded to weep.”
“[I] just cried my eyes out. It’s one of those moments where you’re sort of like, I guess I didn’t know how much I wanted it,” she said.
Cynthia said the news reached her while she was flying from London to Utah for the Sundance Film Festival
She shared the story with Elvis Mitchell on January 24 at The Elvis Suite, presented by Darling & Co., at Firewood in Park City, Utah
“I guess I didn’t know how much it would mean to me. You know how much it means, and then it happens and you really know how much it means.”
The emotional display even prompted a concerned flight attendant to ask whether she was all right.
“I’m like, ‘Yes, these are happy tears,’” Cynthia recalled, adding that the attendant brought her a box of tissues.
The star, who plays Elphaba in the hit musical adaptation, continued: “And then I just spent the whole flight… I couldn’t stop crying. I’m texting my mom because I couldn’t call her, [and] my sister.”
Her next message went to Ariana, 31.
“I voice note Ariana and we’re both tearfully crying. We’re a mess,” Cynthia said of their reaction.
Ariana received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for playing Glinda in the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical.
Cynthia also recalled receiving a heartfelt message from Jonathan Bailey, who was the first person she told that she had not realized how much the nomination would mean until it happened.
Cynthia said she and Ariana were both “a mess” after discovering they had been nominated
Cynthia said Jonathan Bailey sent her “the most wonderful text” after hearing about her nomination
“Receiving this just means the world and … it feels like another step, like a big giant step. Not just in my career but for me,” the actress said.
“I think it feels like a really important moment in time. I knew it was going to be special but it’s just [gone beyond] me.”
“It’s one thing to play a role that people enjoy, it’s one thing to play a role that you love and it’s celebrated.”
“It’s quite another thing to know that you’re playing a role that people also see themselves in and also connect with on a really human level.”
Cynthia said the response from fans had made the achievement even more meaningful. Many have shared stories about how Elphaba affected them or their children and helped them feel “really seen.”
“It’s a different ballgame, so to have that being celebrated, [it’s] a huge deal,” she concluded.
The Oscar nominations were announced in Los Angeles on January 23.
Like many of her fellow nominees, Ariana turned to Instagram to celebrate securing a place on the coveted list.
Ariana shared a childhood photo of herself dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz while thanking the Academy for her Best Supporting Actress nomination on January 23
Alongside a photo of herself as a child in a Dorothy costume from The Wizard of Oz, she wrote: “Picking my head up in between sobs to say thank you so much to @theacademy for this unfathomable recognition.”
“I cannot stop crying, to no one’s surprise. I’m humbled and deeply honored to be in such brilliant company and sharing this with tiny Ari who sat and studied Judy Garland singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ just before the big, beautiful bubble entered. I’m so proud of you, tiny.”
“Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for this acknowledgement @theacademy.”
“Thank you @jonmchu for taking this chance on me and for being the most unbelievably brilliant leader, human being, and most fierce friend.”
She also praised Cynthia, writing: “I am so deeply proud of my beautiful Wicked family.”
“I am so proud of my Elphie, my sister, my dear @cynthiaerivo. Your brilliance is never ending and you deserve every flower (tulip) in every garden. I love you unconditionally, always.”
“I don’t quite have all my words yet, I’m still trying to breathe. But thank you. Oh my goodness, thank you. Universal, Marc, my family, my heart.”
She signed off: “Lemons and melons and pears, oh my.”
Ariana’s boyfriend Ethan Slater shared a photo of the actress celebrating her Oscar nomination
Wicked earned 10 Oscar nominations, with the winners to be announced during the March 2 ceremony in Los Angeles
Ethan Slater, Ariana’s boyfriend and her Wicked co-star who played Boq, later shared a photo of her holding balloons.
Ariana’s fellow Best Supporting Actress nominees are Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave and Zoe Saldana for Emilia Perez.
Cynthia is competing in the Best Actress category against Karla Sofia Gascon for Emilia Perez, Mikey Madison for Anora, Demi Moore for Substance and Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here.
In total, Wicked received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.
The winners of the 97th Academy Awards will be announced during the live ceremony on Sunday, March 2, in Los Angeles.
