British actor has stepped into a number of roles in her career, from Broadway to television. After first performing in the Wes End in 2011, she made her Broadway debut in 2015 in playing Celie and won a Tony for her performance, and she's had a great career since. Erivo has also used her singing ability in her music career and has contributed original songs to a few of her films, and she will release an album in 2025. She has the rare distinction of being among those who have been nominated for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award, on top of numerous other awards, and has won all but the Oscar—so far. And she's just getting started, with a number of projects in the works.

While Erivo is perhaps best known for playing Elphaba in the recent film adaptation of the hit musical —she's only the second Black woman to play the role in a major production—she's also starred in plenty of other TV shows and movies. From prominent historical figures to wicked witches, her talent is on full display in the characters she's embodied, especially her range.

Set in a near future where the very wealthy are able to time travel, sci-fi romance follows happy couple Nick () and Janine (Erivo), whose life together is interrupted when Janine’s ex (Orlando Bloom) warps time and uses Nick's college girlfriend () in an attempt to split them up in. It was based on the short story of the same name by .

Despite its interesting premise, Needle in a Timestack doesn’t quite deliver—time-travel plots are inherently complicated, and the timelines here can get convoluted and don’t hold up to scrutiny. The movie’s themes of altering memories in a relationship and desperately trying to hang on to them are also similar to that of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. .

The live-action version of retells the classic story of the wooden puppet come to life. After being crafted by Italian woodworker Geppetto (), Pinocchio () wishes to be a real boy, and late one night, his wish is granted by the Blue Fairy (Erivo). She appoints Jiminy Cricket () as his conscience and guide him in learning right from wrong, and Pinocchio sets out to enjoy his life as a real boy.

Erivo’s role as the Blue Fairy is a small but crucial one—without her, Pinocchio wouldn’t become a real boy. And although she’s playing a character, , from her earrings to her more straightforward delivery. Erivo also sang a new yet still heartwarming rendition of classic Disney song “When You Wish Upon a Star” for the film. It shoul noted this film received generally negative reviews, but Erivo's performance was generally singled out as a highlight.

Erivo stars in as Jacqueline, a refugee from war-torn Liberia who relocates to a Greek island, alone and with no money. While there, she works to come to terms with her past and meets and develops a close relationship with an American tour guide, Callie (), who might be able to help her heal from her trauma. The film was based on the novel A Marker to Measure Drift by .

. Her performance as Jacqueline is subdued—the character is cautious and guarded, doing what she can to survive without drawing much attention to herself. The film makes it clear that Jacqueline’s demeanor is for good reason, as she’s experienced some real trauma, but it reveals her past in pieces. As a result, the movie deals with the horrors of war and the lasting damage they can do.

Biographical anthology series , airing on National Geographic, tells the stories of some of the most famous figures in history. Season 3, which aired in 2021, focuses on singer Aretha Franklin (Erivo), starting with her childhood singing in her father’s () church through the defining moments of her career. The series also explores the lasting impact she’s had on music and pop culture, and it’s made up of eight episodes.

With both her acting and singing talent, , and she embodies her nearly perfectly, especially her bold personality. Throughout the series, she lends her own powerhouse vocals to some of Franklin’s biggest, most beloved hits—it’s hard to imagine anyone matching Franklin’s own vocals, but Erivo comes about as close as possible. And unsurprisingly, Erivo is at her best when she’s singing.

After four thieves are killed in a police shootout in the aftermath of an attempted robbery in Chicago in , their wives are left to carry on without them. The four women have nothing in common—except for the debt their husbands left behind, leading them to work together to pull off a heist of their own. The movie was based on the British television series of the same name from 1983.

Widows features a great ensemble cast, —she plays hairdresser Belle. And although she doesn’t get a ton of screen time, she makes the most of it. Despite positive critical reception, the film didn’t perform well at the box office. It balances the action expected of a heist while also addressing weightier dramatic topics, including police brutality and sexism, and female-centered heist films are rare but wonderful.

A wealthy serial killer () uses his skills and resources to expose detective John Luther’s () various illegal actions as a police officer in , leading to him being fired and imprisoned. Without Luther to worry about, the killer continues terrorizing London, and a determined Luther breaks out of prison to catch him, no matter what it takes. Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Odette Raine (Erivo) is tasked with finding Luther.

Luther was a critically acclaimed hit when it began, and it’s no surprise it returned with a movie after five seasons. Despite its flaws,, with an ending which leaves room for Luther’s story to continue. Erivo’s character of Raine is tough—circumstances force her to work alongside Luther instead of trying to bring him in. She isn’t the only standout, however. Serkis is downright unnerving as the sadistic killer.

Erivo stars in thriller series as private detective Holly Gibney, a character first seen in . What begins as a seemingly straightforward investigation of the murder of a young boy at the hands of a police officer takes a turn when a supernatural force becomes involved, something Holly believes in wholeheartedly while the others do not. The series was based on the novel of the same name by .

The Outsider is part noir, part horror—it’s a slow burn that’s been described as meets —and Erivo brings the fascinating, savant-like character of Holly to life wonderfully, even though the character is different than written in the book. . The series is also a faithful adaptation of its source material, although it loses some of its momentum as it progresses.

In , six strangers, plus one employee, turn the El Royale—a run-down hotel on the border of California and Nevada, with one half in each state—into a battleground over one night in 1969. Each of them is harboring a secret, and things take a violent turn not long after hippie Emily () checks in with her younger sister, with someone on their trail.

Bad Times at the El Royale features a great ensemble cast, all delivering great performances and each with their own scene-stealing moments. But Erivo stands out in her role as soul singer Darlene Sweet, . Her singing is always phenomenal, and it’s among the highlights of the film. It’s an entertaining watch overall, with a great balance of humor and tension and plenty of twists and turns.

tells the story of famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman, from her escape from slavery on the plantation where she was born and raised to her brave and heroic work helping over 70 other slaves to freedom, as well as the triumphs and heartbreak she faced in her personal life. The film’s cast also includes., who plays fellow abolitionist abolitionist William Still, as well as and .

Harriet features some of Erivo’s best and most powerful work as an actor in bringing Tubman’s story to the screen—it’s her first leading role, and she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She perfectly conveys Tubman’s most emotional moments, . The film also features the original song “Stand Up,” both written and performed by Erivo.

Wicked, a prequel to and reimagining of the events of , follows outsider Elphaba (Erivo)—ostracized because of her green skin—before she becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. While attending Shiz University in Oz, she strikes up an unlikely but meaningful friendship with the popular Glinda (). The movie was based on the first act of the stage musical, which itself was based on the novel of the same name.

Wicked has been hailed as a stunning adaptation of its source material, . She put her own spin on the character, and to great effect, especially with her powerhouse vocals on “Defying Gravity,” the musical’s most famous number. Her performance earned her an Oscar nomination, setting up the potential for her EGOT win. The film itself was a huge box-office success and was nominated for Best Picture.

NEXT: 10 Movies To Watch if You Love 'Wicked'