Will ‘Wicked’s’ Cynthia Erivo Be the Youngest EGOT Winner?
The 2025 Oscar nominations have arrived, and one of the most talked-about contenders is Cynthia Erivo, nominated for Best Actress for her role in Wicked. This isn’t Erivo’s first Oscar nomination; she was nominated for Best Original Song in 2020 for Stand Up and Best Actress in 2022 for Harriet. Perhaps it’s going to be “third time’s the charm” for Erivo. The stakes are higher for her because if she wins the Oscar, she’ll make history as the youngest EGOT winner.
What is EGOT?
EGOT stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Erivo already has won three of those. She won a Tony Award for The Color Purple, a Grammy for the Best Musical Theater album, and a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program. The only accolade standing between her and EGOT status is an Oscar.
Cynthia Erivo’s Oscar Nod for Wicked
Erivo has been a shoo-in for this year’s Academy Awards, having already been nominated in the same category at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. It comes as no surprise that she’s nominated for the Oscars, given her outstanding portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Erivo’s Competition
The competition for the Academy Awards Best Actress category is going to be tough and Erivo is up against Demi Moore (The Substance), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Mikey Madison (Anora) and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez). All nominees have equal chances of winning since their performances, as well as their movies, have been collecting nominations and awards from different award-giving bodies.
Like Erivo, Moore is also nominated for a BAFTA, and a Screen Actors Guild Awards. However, Moore won the Golden Globes for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, the same as Torres who won the Golden Globes for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. But unlike Erivo, Torres was not nominated for a BAFTA or a SAG award.
Madison, aside from being nominated for Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG awards, also won several accolades from different film critics’ associations and film festivals for her portrayal of the titular sex worker in Anora. Gascón, who already made history as the first openly transgender person to be nominated in the same category, also received BAFTA and SAG nominations. She also won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival.
Erivo’s Chances
Cynthia Erivo’s journey toward becoming the youngest EGOT winner is far from over. Sure, she’s up against worthy opponents, but she has a distinct advantage. She’s nominated for a musical role, and historically, the Academy has a growing list of actresses who have won the award for musical films. Emma Stone for La La Land, Marion Cotillard for La Vie en Rose, Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line, and, ironically, Renée Zellweger for Judy—the same role that competed with Erivo’s Harriet for the Oscar’s Best Actress award in 2019.
