Why Cynthia Eriva wears micro braids in Wicked
Cynthia Eriva there was one request when it came to Elphaba’s hair.
Eriva, 37, opened up about the micro braids she wore while playing Elphaba Angryduring a conversation with Diversity on Tuesday, December 17. While other actresses who played Elphaba wore their hair in black waves, Eriva chose braids to feel “a direct connection between me as a black woman and Elphaba as a green lady.”
“I asked if we could reimagine that hair as micro braids because I knew you’d still have movement and you could still have length, but there was a texture that was a little different than what you normally see on stage , – explained Eriva. She added that the hair adds a connection “to the person underneath (the green paint), to me.”
For now plays ElphabaEriva styled her tresses into bigger braids, ponytails, half updos and more.
Erivo, who shaved off her hair and eyebrows before playing Elphaba so her scalp could also be dyed green, was previously open about rocking micro-braids in November. “I wanted to show how versatile braids can be and how much fun you can have with them,” she told The British Blacklist. The singer added how “emotional hair can be” in scenes where a lot of “movement” is required.

Cynthia Eriva
Karwai Tang/WireImageIn addition to her hair, Elphaba undergoes a nail transformation as she grows into her powers. As Elphaba grows stronger and transforms into the Wicked Witch of the West, her nails are getting longer and darkerthanks to her longtime manicurist, Shih Asey.

Cynthia Eriva as Elphaba in Wicked.
Universal picturesAfter filming wrapped, Eriva thanked Oshea via Instagram: “Meet my dear friend @shadesofshea_ who I’ve known and worked with since I was 16!! 💚,” she wrote next to a post in which she was dressed in an Elphaba costume. “She was the first person I thought of when we decided that Elphaba’s nails would grow and change throughout the film in tandem with her personal transformation.”
Erivo also had long green fingernails decorated with precious stones in Angry press tourmixing Elphaba’s signature color with her own sparkling personality.