Cynthia Erivo Recalls Financial Struggles as Rada Student

Cynthia Erivo has spoken out about the financial hardships she faced as a drama student at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada), accusing the institution of lacking understanding about the realities of economic struggle.

Erivo, who attended Rada from 2006 to 2010, recalled her time there as "exhausting" as she juggled multiple jobs to make ends meet. "I was exhausted all the time," Erivo said in an interview with The Guardian G2. "We're in the classes and it's a Monday; I've worked all day on a Sunday, and probably done a gig at night, and I've come in. I'm falling asleep in class, so people were like 'she doesn't care'."

The "Wicked" star noted that she had to decline a lucrative backing singer gig with the band Westlife, which would have provided £10,000 and lasted two weeks, a sum that could have covered a couple of years of tuition. When she inquired about taking the job, she was informed by the registrar, "No you can't. If you go, you leave. If you stay, you stay."

Erivo, who now holds the position of vice-president at Rada, expressed a desire for change within the institution, stating, "Rada is not an easy place to go to school. It takes it out of you."

She is not the only notable figure to have recounted difficulties during their training at Rada. Actress Maxine Peake previously shared an experience where a teacher advised her to "lay off the chips" if she wished to be cast as Juliet, referencing her size. Peake, who attended Rada on a scholarship after facing 13 rejections from other drama schools, spoke about being fat-shamed and told she would not secure lead roles due to her physique.

Erivo first addressed perceptions of laziness during her time at Rada in January 2025, explaining that she worked at a shirtmaker called Thomas Pink throughout her course. She stated, "I genuinely had to work much harder than other students, and I got penalised for it. I’d come in exhausted, and they’d say: 'Well, she’s not dedicated. She’s not concentrating.' It took me a long time to make people understand that I wasn’t lazy – I was just tired."

In her third year, Erivo was told by Rada that she was "efficient" and that other students needed the experience of larger roles, a reason she received fewer parts.

Despite these challenges, Erivo credited her acting coach, the late Dee Cannon, for understanding her potential and encouraging her to avoid conforming to a "strong, black stereotype," instead advising her to embrace vulnerability.

The comments come in the context of Rada's ongoing efforts to address its history of institutional racism. In July 2020, following the Black Lives Matter protests, Rada acknowledged being "institutionally racist" and apologized for the negative experiences of Black students and staff. The school subsequently introduced an Institutional Anti-Racism Action Plan in 2022.

Cynthia Erivo gained significant recognition for her role in the Broadway revival of "The Color Purple," earning a Tony Award. She has since achieved worldwide fame for her portrayal of Elphaba in the film adaptation of "Wicked" and is set to star in "Prima Facie," an adaptation of Suzie Miller's play about sexual assault.