Cynthia Erivo, the 37-year-old English actress starring as Elphaba Thropp in the highly anticipated movie-musical Wicked, has revealed she sustained burns on her legs during production. The injuries occurred while filming the iconic flying scenes, including her powerful performance of Defying Gravity.
Reflecting on the challenging experience, Erivo described the process as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” highlighting the physical demands of bringing the beloved character to life on screen.
In an interview with ELLE magazine, accompanying her February cover feature, Cynthia Erivo opened up about the grueling physical demands of filming Wicked. To portray Elphaba’s iconic flying scenes, the actress was strapped into a harness and hoisted into the air for hours daily. The repetitive friction caused severe chafing, resulting in superficial burns on her legs as the material rubbed against her skin.
Addressing criticism about her casting, Erivo also responded to claims that her role in the film was a “woke hire.” She firmly dismissed such assertions, emphasizing her dedication, talent, and hard work in preparing to embody the beloved character.
Cynthia Erivo has opened up about the physical toll of filming the iconic Defying Gravity scenes for Wicked, describing it as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” Speaking to ELLE magazine, she shared, “I did all my own stunts – the jumps, the flying. It looks simple, but 20 seconds on screen takes hours to do. I was in a harness for hours, and it has to be extremely tight. Think about the word ‘chafing.’ It sounds funny, but it’s the consistent rubbing of material, causing friction that removes skin, resulting in superficial burns. And you’re experiencing it repetitively. That was my life for a few months.”
In addition to recounting her demanding work on set, Cynthia addressed criticism labeling her casting as Elphaba a “woke hire.” She firmly rejected the notion, stating, “I had to audition, just like everybody else. And I’m glad I had to do that. I have the credentials for it. I’ve done the work. But I’m glad they got to be sure about the choice. It allows me to take this and know that I had to work really hard for it.”
Cynthia also spoke warmly of her co-star Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda Upland, highlighting the close bond they developed throughout the production process.
