There was barely a dry eye left in the Dolby Theater on Feb. 9 after Cynthia Erivo took to the stage to perform her Oscar nominated song ‘Stand Up’ from the film Harriet. The Tony winner, 33, belted the ballad with all the power in her voice. Cynthia wore a stunning gold gown, a spotlight shown solely on her at the start of the performance. As she sang, a chorus of dancers formed behind her, lyrically moving to the words she sang. Cynthia’s incredibly voice wholly showed through, proving, beyond the stunning lyrics and composition of the nominated song, just why her impeccable talent brought her to the Oscar stage. A chorus joined into the aisles of the theater, powerfully culminating the song with an image of Harriet Tubman on the screen.
The 92nd Academy Awards is a major night for Cynthia, who is nominated for two Oscars. Cynthia earned recognition in the category of Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Picture (Original Song) for “Stand Up,” which she shares with Joshua Brian Campbell, and for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her work as Harriet Tubman in the eponymous film. Prior to the Oscars, the actress earned nominations at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild for her work in front of and behind the camera.
But Cynthia is no stranger to earning accolades for her incredible work. She has a flourishing stage career and in 2016 earned her first Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple. She and the cast of the Broadway show also won a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album in 2017 and the same year won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding On-Camera Musical Performance in a Daytime Program. If Cynthia wins an Oscar tonight, she’ll have achieved the coveted EGOT moniker — which includes winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, respectively.
A truly ✨golden✨performance by @cynthiaerivo on the #Oscars stage! https://t.co/el3y5LRsAY
— ABC (@ABCNetwork) February 10, 2020
The 92nd Academy Awards is arguably the biggest night in Hollywood and concludes the end of awards season. Tonight, Joker leads the nominations with 11 total — including Best Picture, Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), and Best Director (Todd Phillips). We’re covering the night’s biggest, most talked about moments. From speeches, to fashion, and everything in between, check in with HollywoodLife for the latest on the 92nd Academy Awards!