Cynthia Erivo isn’t done with Elphaba just yet. After bringing the green-skinned witch to life in the much-anticipated two-part Wicked film adaptation, the actress is now lending her voice to the audiobook version of Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel—and she’s absolutely buzzing about it.
In a chat with Variety, Cynthia shared how special the role has become to her, both on screen and now in audio form. “I feel deeply connected to Elphaba,” she said. “We have been on quite the journey together, and now I’m eager to begin an adventure with her whilst exploring the full world of Wicked and its myriads of other characters in the audiobook.”
She added, “I’m looking forward to bringing this incredible story to life in a new way for listeners, and I hope it resonates as deeply with them as I know it will with me.”
And it’s not just about reading lines—Cynthia’s been through it when it comes to embodying Elphaba. At a screening of the film last December, she revealed how intense the filming schedule was. “I could not sleep,” she admitted, talking about the long days and even longer nights spent getting everything just right.
Her mornings would start with early workouts—essential when you’re flying around on wires—followed by two hours in the makeup chair before a 5 a.m. call time. “And that requires your core to be the strongest you could possibly be, because the wires will take you from one place to another,” she explained.
And there were no easy days. “No days were small,” she said, making it clear how much effort went into every single moment of the production.
Cynthia also confessed she’d never actually flown before the film, but was keen to give it a go. Clearly, she wasn’t just playing a powerful witch—she was fully stepping into the role, physically and emotionally.
The Wicked audiobook, voiced by Cynthia, is expected to drop on July 1—and if her performance in the film is anything to go by, listeners are in for something seriously magical.