Cynthia Erivo's powerful biopic Harriet is now available to watch on Netflix.
Released in 2019, Harriet stars Erivo as abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman, with the film telling the extraordinary story of how she escaped slavery in 1849 using the Underground Railroad before returning to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom.
Clarke Peters, Moonlight's Janelle Monáe, Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr and Kinds of Kindness actor Joe Alwyn also star in Harriet.
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Erivo's portrayal of Tubman received critical acclaim, earning her a Best Actress nomination at the 2020 Oscars.
While she lost out on the award to Judy's Renée Zellweger, Erivo may be in for another shot at Oscar glory for her performance in Jon M Chu's movie adaptation of Wicked, which has generated significant Oscar buzz since its release in cinemas last month.
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The film stars Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba Thropp and Galinda Upland, before they become better known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.
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Wicked, which will receive a sequel in 2025, has received rave reviews and currently holds a strong 89% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences awarding it 96%.
"Defying gravity with its magical pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked's sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz," reads the site's critical consensus.
In Digital Spy's review of the film, we said: "Wicked's real strength is in the pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Galinda, who excel in the iconic roles.
"Grande has terrific comic timing, which comes to the fore in 'Popular', while Erivo nails both the big numbers and the inner turmoil felt by Elphaba's social rejection."
The film is also breaking records, landing the biggest US box office opening for a Broadway adaptation in its first weekend, before becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in US box office history during its second weekend.
Harriet is now available to watch on Netflix, while Wicked is currently out in cinemas.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
