New Details About Cynthia Erivo's Dating History Have Emerged
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo skyrocketed to fame for her role as Celie in the Broadway production of The Color Purple. With her role as Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the musical Wicked, more and more people are aware of her massive talent — and find they’re also curious about her personal life.
In a September 2024 interview, Erivo told Vanity Fair, “I’m very tight-lipped with my relationships, ’cause I don’t think that my relationship is for anyone else but for me... I spend so much of my life sharing everything — whether it’s my work or my soul or my life in speeches. I think I give enough of myself that I’m allowed to keep something for me.”
She added, “It’s enough for people to know that I’m a queer person who could have relationships with men or women or neither.”
Here’s what is known about Erivo’s personal life and what she’s been willing to share so far.
Dean John-Wilson
Dated from 2013-2017
Erivo was first romantically linked to British actor Dean John-Wilson in 2013 after meeting while working on the theater production of Sister Act, according to the Daily Mail. They were seen together at an after-party for the 60th London Evening Standard Theatre Awards at the London Palladium in 2014 in their first official public appearance.
She was his date in June 2016 on the red carpet for the West End production of Disney’s Aladdin, in which he starred.
They also attended the 2017 Grammy Awards together.
The pair seemed to split soon after, but they have never commented on what ended the relationship.
Mario Martinez
Dated from 2017-2019
In a November 2018 Vogue interview, Erivo said she and Mario Martinez met in 2016, the day after she won a Tony for The Color Purple. He apparently didn’t know the scope of her talent. She said that a few years later, after they had been dating six months, she took him to a brunch hosted by Oprah Winfrey. She offered an impromptu performance at the event and he was pretty impressed.
“I remember looking at him and seeing this ‘What?’ look,” she laughed. “It took him, I think, a couple of days to process what had happened.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2019, Erivo shared a bit more about how they got together, revealing they had then been an item for two years.
“He chased me,” she said, explaining he was asking her out even when she was with John-Wilson. “Then the last time, I was not with my ex anymore — except this time he did not ask. He just walked up to me and gave me a kiss.”
Erivo posted pics during their relationship of Martinez on Instagram, but deleted them sometime in 2019, according to Bustle, which sparked breakup speculation. Her last post about him was on March 2019, when she wished him a happy birthday. She wrote, “I love you. May this day be sweet for love, may this year be full of great things. I cannot wait to witness the greatness you have in store.”
Lena Waithe
Dating from 2020 to present
Lena Waithe is a producer, writer, and actress known best for her role on Master of None and for creating the popular Showtime series The Chi. She and Erivo have never confirmed their relationship, but they have reportedly been dating since around 2020 and have made many event appearances together. In a 2022 interview with Variety, Waithe said she was introduced to Erivo at the 2018 Met Gala.
“I was so excited to meet her at the Met, and we did that whole thing, like, ‘Oh my gosh’ and exchanged information,” said Waithe. “We have just been vibing ever since. It’s hard out there on Twitter when people have a lot of opinions, but I think she’s handled it with grace.”
Waithe seemingly shared a photo of the night they met in 2018 on Instagram, writing in the caption, “I finally found my sis. Lena you are absolutely everything. You are perfection. What a meeting of minds, glad to have you in my life! Stuck like glue!!! SHINE QUEEN SHINE!!”
In May 2022, Erivo shared a picture celebrating Waithe on Instagram, writing, “Today is when we celebrate a woman whose heart is bigger than the body that houses it. Happy birthday @lenawaithe I ……. You know the rest!”
In June 2022, Waithe and Erivo were seen holding hands at Alvin Ailey Spirit Gal, according to Page Six.
And while they didn’t walk the red carpet together, Waithe was at the premiere of Wicked in November 2024 in Los Angeles.
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