Cynthia Erivo, goddess of Broadway vocals and cheekbone architecture, is once again making headlines—and this time, she’s stepping into the most iconic sandals of all time. Yes, those sandals. The ones worn by the Son of God himself.
In a plot twist that even M. Night Shyamalan would need a moment to process, the 38-year-old “Wicked” star has been cast as Jesus Christ in a stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. Yes, you read that right. Jesus. Cynthia. Hollywood Bowl. Gospel and glam.
Naturally, the casting sent some conservative circles into an evangelical tailspin. One particularly pressed pastor reportedly declared it “blasphemy” that a queer Black woman would play Jesus, to which the universe replied, “Okay, but have you seen her Tony?”
But does Cynthia care? Absolutely not, babes. In a deliciously shady interview with Billboard, she giggled—yes, giggled—at the backlash like she was watching a Real Housewives reunion in heaven.
“Why not? You can’t please everyone,” she shrugged, sipping divine tea straight from the Holy Grail.
“It’s a three-day performance at the Hollywood Bowl where I get to sing my face off. So hopefully they will come and realize, ‘Oh, it’s a musical, the gayest place on Earth.’”
Read that again.
The. Gayest. Place. On. Earth.
Not Disneyland. Not Drag Race. The Hollywood Bowl, for three nights only, starring Cynthia Erivo as Glamorous Messiah.
And let’s be real: if Jesus came back and didn’t break into an 11 o’clock number in a sequined robe while slaying high notes and shutting down bigots? Would it even be a second coming worth RSVPing to?
So if you’re mad about it, maybe ask yourself: What would fabulous Jesus do?
He’d probably sing.
He’d probably slay.
And honey—he’d definitely be Cynthia Erivo.
