- Primary Subject: Cynthia Erivo's reflection on the Wicked franchise
- Key Update: Cynthia Erivo admitted she is completely burned out on discussing Wicked after a grueling two-year press tour, stating she has spoken about the franchise "ad nauseam."
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: May 28, 2026
- Quick Answer: Cynthia Erivo revealed she is burned out on Wicked, calling the extensive press coverage "ad nauseam" while expressing hesitation about returning for any future films.
The massive, multi-year media whirlwind surrounding Oz is finally catching up to its leading witch. Multiple outlets report that Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo is officially setting boundaries when it comes to discussing the blockbuster franchise. Here's what she shared about Wicked.
Cynthia Erivo is Burned Out About Wicked, Calls It "Ad Nauseam"
During a high-profile interview with Variety, the multi-talented star Cynthia Erivo visibly tensed up during a lyrical guessing game when presented with a line from the iconic track, For Good.
Erivo frankly asked to change the conversation, admitting that after two straight years of heavy global promotion, she has discussed Wicked "ad nauseam."
"Because I feel like I've spent the last two years talking about it, and I think that we have an opportunity to talk about something else," Erivo told the outlet, "And I love Wicked, but I've just talked about it ad nauseam."
While Erivo emphasized that she still loves the films and her co-stars, she opened up about the severe exhaustion of the Wicked Movie Mania press tour, noting that she and Ariana Grande were often "holding on by threads" while facing intense public judgment.
She also shed light on why she chose not to campaign for an Academy Award for the 2025 sequel, Wicked: For Good, pointing directly to the draining and "insidious" media fallout after she instinctively protected Grande from a red-carpet intruder in Singapore late last year.
"I felt like something I did instinctively had been made to be something that it simply was not because of the way people see women who look like me, and because of the assumptions that are made, and I just didn’t want to be a part of that, really and truly," Erivo added, "I didn’t want to put myself through it. I didn’t feel like I deserved it.”
Could Cynthia Erivo Still Be Down to Return as Elphaba in a Potential Wicked 3?
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For fans wondering if Erivo will ever step back into Elphaba's pointy hat, a return to the Emerald City seems highly unlikely anytime soon.
When asked about the brewing rumors regarding a potential Wicked 3 or an adjacent Oz spin-off, Erivo told the outlet that "it's too soon to even begin to have the conversation," adding that "it would take a lot to get me back to do it. It has to make sense."
Instead, Erivo is channeling her powerhouse energy back into live theatre. She is currently starring in a critically acclaimed, strictly limited solo production of Dracula at London's Noel Coward Theatre in the West End.
Showing off her staggering theatrical range, Erivo takes on the ultimate acting challenge by playing all 23 characters in the classic Bram Stoker tale entirely by herself.
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