Cynthia Erivo has stepped onto the red carpet at the 2025 Oscars. Tonight, the star is nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked. This marks Erivo’s third Oscar nomination, following her two nods for Harriet in 2020.
For the occasion, Erivo channeled her character Elphaba in a custom, dramatic, deep-green gown by Louis Vuitton. According to E! News, the look, styled by Jason Bolden, pays homage to Hattie McDaniel, the first Black woman to win an Oscar. Her nails, done by Clawz by Dior, took inspiration from Wicked’s Emerald City.
Speaking on the red carpet, Erivo revealed she wanted to pay tribute to Oz and Hollywood with her look tonight. “I wanted a big dress for the Oscars if I ever made it...and I feel amazing in it,” she said.
Erivo later wore a Vivienne Westwood gown for her opening performance with Ariana Grande.
She also spotlighted her nail tech, Mycah Dior, for her green and gold manicure for the big night. “We knew this was the last one, so we wanted to do something big and special,” Erivo said.
The Wicked actress’s nomination comes after an eventful awards season in which she has earned multiple accolades, including nominations at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and SAG Awards.
When Erivo first found out she was nominated for an Oscar in January, she expressed her excitement on Instagram. “Moments like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, it is sacrilege to let them pass by without a moment of gratitude,” she wrote in the caption. “I am grateful, grateful to @theacademy, grateful to be a part of something that makes people feel seen, grateful to be a cog in the wheel of a piece that makes us believe in magic, grateful to have experienced a dream come true, and deeply deeply grateful for this unbelievable recognition.” She also went on to thank her co-star Ariana Grande and the film’s director Jon Chu.
In her 2024 ELLE Women in Hollywood cover story, Erivo reflected on what it meant to embody Elphaba onscreen. “There’s a complete connection between me and her—we’re not just erasing who’s playing this character,” she said. The film’s adaptation introduced elements personal to Erivo, including Elphaba’s textured hair, which she described as an important representation of identity, saying, “It connects to who I am underneath the skin.”
Erivo’s red carpet looks throughout the 2025 awards season so far have showcased her distinctive, maximalist style. At the Golden Globes, she wore a custom black sculptural Louis Vuitton gown, and at the SAG Awards, she made a statement in a silver archival Givenchy gown with fringe details.
Beyond her nomination tonight, Erivo will also take the stage as one of the evening’s performers. She and Grande are expected to open the ceremony with songs from their hit film. As reported by Puck, “The Academy and executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan have decided to open the show with a Wicked medley.” While Wicked’s music was not nominated for Best Original Song, the movie did receive a nomination for Best Original Score.
Erivo has spoken openly about the significance of her role as Elphaba and Wicked’s broader message. In her ELLE profile, she also reflected on the importance of representation in the entertainment industry, saying, “I hope that this shifts and changes things across stages and screens. It’s important to know what it feels like to be ‘othered,’ and to show that story with authenticity.”
