Cynthia Erivo, star of Wicked: For Good, has revealed why she is unlikely to return as Elphaba for Broadway’s stage production of Wicked. The 38-year-old actress and singer made the comments during a recent appearance on The View.

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Erivo on Passing the Torch

Erivo, who portrayed the iconic green-skinned witch in the 2025 Wicked film adaptation, explained that returning to Broadway would feel “a little selfish.”

“We’ve been given such a gift with this [film] version, and everyone is seeing it. It’s in everybody’s houses right now, and people can go to the cinema and see it,” she said.

She added that the movie creates opportunities for other women to take on the role of Elphaba on stage:

“What’s wonderful about this particular film now is that I think it provides more room for other women to go do [the role on Broadway].”

The hosts of The View praised Erivo’s generosity. Joy Behar said, “[It gives] someone else the opportunity,” while Sunny Hostin called her choice “so generous, so generous.”

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Broadway Legacy and the Current Elphaba

Erivo made her Broadway debut as Celie in The Color Purple in 2015 and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2016.

Since Idina Menzel originated the role of Elphaba on Broadway in 2003, the character has been portrayed by many actresses, including Stephanie J. Block, Shoshana Bean, Lindsay Mendez, and Jessica Vosk. The current Elphaba, Lencia Kebede, is the first Black actress to play the role full-time on Broadway, making her debut in March 2025.

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What’s Next for Erivo?

Erivo is set to star in a one-woman adaptation of Dracula in London’s West End, where she will play 23 characters. Speaking to her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey for Wonderland magazine, she admitted:

“I’m f—— petrified. I really am. I’m very scared. But I’m also like — I don’t know, is this sadistic of me — but I’m really excited about it as well. It’s absolutely nonsensical and insane.”

She also has upcoming screen projects, including Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie (stage-to-screen adaptation) and Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, set for release in theaters on January 15, 2027.