Cynthia Erivo is not here for fan edits of Wicked—and she’s making it clear.
The 37-year-old actress, who will portray Elphaba in the upcoming Wicked film adaptation, recently spoke out against fan-made changes to the movie’s poster. Taking to her Instagram Story, Cynthia expressed her frustration with edits that altered the original design, such as lowering Elphaba’s hat and giving her lips a bolder red hue to match the Broadway version of the poster.
But it wasn’t just the poster tweaks that upset her. Cynthia also addressed a viral AI-generated video where the poster morphed into a fight scene between her and co-star Ariana Grande, as well as the notorious meme that has circulated for years, asking, “is your p—- green?”—a crass reference to Elphaba’s green skin in the musical.
“This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI of us fighting, and equal to people posing the question, ‘is your p—- green?’” Cynthia wrote in her Instagram post.
“None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us,” she continued, standing firm on how these edits trivialize the effort and thought put into the film and its promotional materials.
Cynthia went on to highlight how the poster itself holds significant meaning and is not just a copy of the Broadway artwork. “The original poster is an illustration. I am a real-life human being, who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer,” she explained. “Because without words, we communicate with our eyes.”
She continued to express why the changes were particularly hurtful: “Our poster is an homage, not an imitation. To edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”
Her powerful statement sheds light on the impact of fan edits and AI-generated content on actors and their work. For Cynthia, the alterations go beyond artistic differences—they undermine the intentional choices made for the film and her portrayal of Elphaba.
As the Wicked movie remains highly anticipated, with fans eagerly awaiting its release, Cynthia’s message serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the vision of the creators and actors involved. By calling out these fan edits, she’s advocating for the integrity of the art and her personal dignity.
With her clear stance, Cynthia is making sure everyone knows that while fan enthusiasm is welcome, boundaries must be respected.
