Cynthia Erivo Wants To Play X-Men’s Storm: “I Really Want To”
Cynthia Erivo isn’t just dreaming big — she’s dreaming weather-controlling mutant big. During the National Board of Review Awards Gala in New York City on January 7, the Wicked actress revealed her dream role: Marvel’s Storm.
“I really want to play Storm,” said Cynthia, 38, when asked about her ideal role. “I know it sounds frivolous, but I think we haven’t uncovered how grand she is, and all of that inner turmoil she has. So I think there’s a world in which we could do something with that.”
Storm, a powerful mutant who first appeared in 1970s comics, is well-loved for her ability to control weather. Halle Berry famously brought the character to life in the X-Men movies, beginning in 2000. Halle last donned Storm’s iconic cape and white wig in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Since then, Alexandra Shipp has portrayed a younger version of the character in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and Dark Phoenix (2019).
But Cynthia isn’t the only star to set her sights on Storm. Back in July 2020, Janelle Monáe also expressed her desire to take on the role. “One of my dreams has always been to play Storm,” said Janelle, 39, in an interview with Empire. “I don’t know if she comes in Black Panther, but it would be a dream to have her in it.”
She added that it would be an honor to follow the line of actresses who’ve done “an exceptional job” portraying the iconic character.
Meanwhile, Cynthia’s Wicked co-star Ariana Grande found herself fending off a very different kind of casting question at the same gala. The 31-year-old pop star was asked about potentially playing Audrey Hepburn in a biopic, thanks to her recent old-Hollywood-inspired looks.
“Oh my goodness, why is everyone asking me this? You’re insane!” Ariana jokingly told Access Hollywood. “You’re insane, you’re insane, you’re insane. You’re insane. I love you,” she added.
The interviewer mentioned Ariana’s “channeling a little” of Hepburn with her fashion choices, to which the singer responded, “I’ve always loved old-Hollywood glamour — like, Marilyn [Monroe] and Audrey have always been my references.”
When pressed further by Entertainment Tonight about whether she’d take on the role of the Breakfast at Tiffany’s icon, Ariana said, “That would have to be done so well and so perfectly… I don’t know.” When assured she had the talent to pull it off, Ariana simply replied, “That’s very kind.”
