Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo famously completed the Brooklyn Half Marathon before playing Celie in The Shade Purple. Broadway’s The Shade Purple opened in back-to-back performances the same day. It is thus not surprising that she teams up with adventurer Bear Grylls in the Brecon Beacons Mountains of Wales, where she descends by rappel, explores a maze of caverns, and crosses an ice waterfall before going it alone to locate the extraction level. She openly discusses the importance of supporting her LGBTQ+ community with Bear Grylls ahead of the solo piece on her experience on Nationwide Geographic’s Working Wild With Bear Grylls: The Problem. And here is the exclusive footage from The Advocate.
You’ve been quite transparent about the support you provide to the LGBTQ+ community. Why did it occur? While they’re relaxing by their campfire, Grylls inquires.
“Because I am a member of it. They live in my home. Many young people nowadays do not have the opportunity to share who they are and what they have with the world and to be loved and cared for for it, according to Erivo.” Therefore, as more people see examples of individuals who aren’t afraid to be who they are, they grow into their true selves and realize that the world is waiting for them with open arms.”
Cynthia Erivo and Bear Grylls in the Brecon Beacons Mountains, Wales With gratitude, Nationwide Geographic
Erivo, who starred in the highly anticipated big-screen adaptation of Wicked opposite Ariana Grande and was nominated for an Oscar for her depiction of Harriet Tubman in the 2019 film Harriet, has openly discussed her membership in the LGBTQ+ community for a number of years. “Tell stories that give area and solace to LGBTQ+ members of our society, black members of our communities, because there is not sufficient area,” Erivo said in an interview with The Advocate in 2021, in reference to her Emmy-nominated role as Aretha Franklin in NatGeo’s Genius: Aretha.
The opportunity to live in that community means a great deal to me. Being able to provide meaning to these stories means a great deal to me. I hope we continue to provide space for them to be informed,” she said at the moment. Since then, Erivo has persisted in speaking out for her LGBTQ+ community and sharing queer stories via her music, as seen by the seductive and empowering music video for her 2021 song “The Good.” In 2022, Erivo explained her reasons for delaying her bisexual comeback in an interview with British Vogue.
“[LGBTQ+ people] still feel like we should always be defending our rights to be treated as equal humans, even though the only difference is that we identify and love differently,” the speaker said. Rather than receiving criticism, we should be rewarded for our bravery. Providing a space for people to fully express who they are is a crucial component.
Grylls on a chilly mountain
During her time off with Grylls on a chilly mountain, Erivo emphasized how important it is to give LGBT people the freedom to be who they are.
The general public usually doesn’t realize that coming out again isn’t always safe. People can’t always feel safe being who they are,” she informs Grylls. The capacity to achieve this requires a great deal of time, bravery, and space. All we can do is let them know that there are people out there who love them and that they can persevere; all they have to do is be ready when the time comes. Watch Erivo on Nationwide Geographic on July 24th as they discuss Working Wild With Bear Grylls: The Problem.
