Cynthia Erivo, Tony Award-winning actress and Oscar-nominated nominee, will portray Elphaba in the upcoming movie version of the musical Wicked. She took offense at a fan who altered a promotional image for the film so it looked more like the illustration on stage.
The high drama, or low comedy as you may prefer, started on October 9, 2024, when the poster and illustration for the stage presentation appeared side-by-side.
THE ICONIC WICKED POSTER HAS BEEN RELEASED pic.twitter.com/lt1Zzyl8Yp
— ໊ (@buffys) October 9, 2024
Erivo had a public meltdown when he saw this.
Cynthia Erivo reacts to edits of the ‘Wicked’ poster and the viral AI fighting animation:
“Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.” pic.twitter.com/R7jGz0Nxnx
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 16, 2024
Erivo’s full-text philippic shows what can happen when celebrities become so obsessed with a nonpersonal issue that they lose their mind.
This is the most outrageous thing I have ever seen!
There’s lots of information here to take in.
If this fan-made movie poster redesign is truly the most outrageous thing Erivo has ever encountered, she could probably benefit from a broader perspective—perhaps by stepping out more often or spending a little more time online. Has she seen some of the horrifying footage of Hamas terrorists released on October 9, 2023? Acts of brutality like rape, mutilation, murder, and even babies being burned alive? Let’s hope not. Or the liberation of concentration camps during World War II?
If she’s aware of those events and still thinks a fan’s creative expression, likely inspired by admiration and excitement for the upcoming film, is somehow the pinnacle of horror… well, that’s a troubling comparison.
As for the fan comments about “Is your ***** green?”—it’s a fair assumption that when you’re playing a character who is, in fact, green, such questions are par for the course. Lighten up, Cynthia.
This is not funny
We are hysterical because of your hysterical reaction.
It’s not cute
This wasn’t meant to be. The tribute was to a musical that is much loved.
It degrades me
Only inside your self-obsessed, maniacal head.
It degrades us
We apologize to all Green-Skinned Witches for any offense.
This original poster is an ILLUSTRATION.
You could play a fictional fantasy character just as you would in a film.
I am a person.
A witch in a fantasy setting with green skin.
The person who chose to stare directly into the camera’s lens at you as the viewer, because without words we communicate through our eyes.
Look at the illustration. Only one character is shown with eyes. It’s possible to tell that this character is talking to another character who is smirking.
Compare this with the movie poster. You can’t hide Erivo. Hide Erivo’s eyelids isn’t the problem.
This poster is a tribute, not a copy.
Let’s look at the definition in the dictionary of homage: “Respect and reverence paid or rendered.” “It is insulting to alter the image of an important person or object to make it look more like them.
It is very hurtful to edit my face.
Get. Over. Yourself.
This is not the first time this has happened. It’s been happening since the Summer of 2023 when Rachel Zegler attacked Snow White for playing her in a movie. Disney still hasn’t released the film.
Cynthia Erivo has a lovely world. Cynthia Erivo must live in a nice world.