November 19, 2025
Cynthia Erivo has made some surprising revelations in her upcoming book Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They're Too Much.
The Wicked star reflected on the day her father walked out of her life and never looked back.
In an excerpt shared from her book, Erivo wrote, "I was 16 when he left me, alone, in a London Underground station after an argument about a transit pass," as per People Magazine.
She went on to write, "When he told me he didn’t want to be in our lives anymore, I stood there in shock. My head was empty. No thoughts, just confusion and quiet. And then I walked away."
For years, Cynthia Erivo admits she pushed herself to extraordinary heights hoping he might one day be proud of her. "After my father abandoned me when I was 16, I desperately wanted to show him I was extraordinary— so he would love me. It’s as simple and as complicated as that," she wrote.
The Oscar-nominated star added, "But I no longer look to him for love. And you don’t need to look to those who don’t see you for who you are either."
"I release my father from his paternal role. I harbor no animosity toward him. Today, I am completely neutral about him."
"I have come to understand he was never meant to be a dad," she added.