Cynthia Erivo is reflecting on her difficult relationship with her father, sharing that she has made peace with his absence.
Speaking with Harper’s Bazaar in an interview published Tuesday, October 28, the 38-year-old actress said she doesn’t spend time wondering what life would look like if he were still around.
“I don’t know what my life would be like if he was still around, and I can’t say whether it would be better or worse,” she said.
“Better not to find out. I’ve never daydreamed about that, because it’s not going to happen. And the life that I have, I am so happy in it.”
The interview appears in the November 2025 issue and arrives ahead of her upcoming memoir, Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They’re Too Much, scheduled for release on Tuesday, November 18.
In the book, Erivo writes about being raised in London by her mother, Edith, after her father left her and her sister when she was 16. According to the outlet, she said he “disowned” them before walking away.
This is not the first time the Wicked star has addressed the situation.
In 2021, she shared that the last time she saw him was more than 10 years ago at a cousin’s wedding.
At the time, she spoke about channeling her emotions into her music, especially with her song “You’re Not Here.”
“This is me admitting that there are things that he’s missed and I’m sad that he’s missed them,” she told Glossary magazine then.
She added that “There are things that he’s going to miss and I’m sad that he’s going to miss them.”
Though she once hoped he could be part of her life, Erivo acknowledged she has found comfort in accepting the reality of their separation.
“There is a part of me that wishes I could have my dad in my life. But there’s also a part of me that’s actually very comfortable because I’ve written this, knowing that he’s not going to be a part of my life at all,” she said.
Erivo has been open about sharing personal truths, saying she has no problem being “vulnerable” and honest about the more painful parts of her story.
“I don’t know if I could have written anything that wasn’t honest,” she noted, explaining that she hopes others find connection in what she shares.
“I want people to know that it is OK to talk about those things. I want them to find solace and comfort in my music. The goal has only ever been to be truthful.”
