How Cynthia Erivo Keeps Her Nails Looking Flawless in Wicked and IRL

Cynthia Erivo may be the one playing Elphaba in Wicked, but her nails are turning everyone else green with envy. The actress and singer has long made nail art her signature beauty look, something that carries forward from her day-to-day to her movie roles. She often posts her intricate and frequently switched-up designs on Instagram, and even technically wore two manicures to the Wicked premiere in Mexico. (She wore a Thom Browne ensemble that had affixed hands, and even those hands had a long, black set).

To learn more about how Erivo is literally always nailing it, ELLE.com talked to her team of manicurists to discuss the inspiration behind some of her most notable nail sets.

The ELLE Cover Look

“Cynthia is so creative,” says celebrity manicurist, Gina Oh. “The sky really is the limit when it comes to her nails.” For Erivo’s December 2024/January 2025 ELLE cover, Oh created a striking jet black, stiletto-shaped manicure, opting to give the nails a shiny, almost wet look. She used après gel extensions, and created a press-on set painted with a layer of the Vetro Nail Gel in black before adding a topcoat. “Sometimes we’ll go for classic acrylic nails, but this time we decided to create press-ons,” Oh adds. The extra-long, pointed shape of the set made for a bold, eye-catching manicure, similar to the ones that Erivo wore throughout the Wicked film.

Elphaba’s Nails

In Wicked, Elphaba uses her hands to cast spells, so a good manicure truly helped bring the character to life. “Her nails are a representation of her growth,” says Shea Osei, the London-based manicurist who has been doing Erivo’s nails for the past 15 years.

As Elphaba’s confidence grows throughout the film, her manicure changes to represent a newfound boldness. “[Elphaba] started off very shy and timid,” says Osei. “Her nails were just an extension of the green color of her skin.” Using a mix of the shades Olive and Lime from Glossify, Osei was able to get the perfect shade of green to create an ombré effect. “As the film continues and the character begins transforming, she gets a new set of nails that are longer, darker, and a bit more daring,” she continues. Her nails become a long stiletto-shaped set, painted black using Glossify’s Ebony shade and flecked with emerald green foil for final glimmering touch.

Identity, otherness, and a yearning for a sense of belonging are at the very core of the film. With this in mind, Osei explained that all Erivo’s beauty choices, including the length of her nails, were intentional, as these decisions are often scrutinized for women of color. Nails have become an integral part of the actress’s personal style, and she noted that it was important to maintain the “essence of Cynthia,” as well as pay homage to the cultural experience that informs her unique portrayal of Elphaba.

“We’ve always known that nails were a part of our culture,” Osei says. “We wanted to keep that as a nod to Black women to remind them that they can do and be anything and should still be accepted for who they are.” The nail design was not only a way for Erivo’s character to unapologetically claim space, but also acted as tribute to the bold, powerful, and colorful history that lies within the Black community.

The Wicked Premiere in L.A.

Even Elphaba’s nails look simple compared to the actress’s often diamond-encrusted claws. Another one of Erivo’s manicurists is Mycah Dior, a 19-year-old nail technician, who believes she has “met her perfect match” in Cynthia, as the two are both unafraid to think outside the box.

The young artist’s skills were on full display for the Wicked premiere in L.A. “We went with classic acrylic nails,” Dior says. “Each design was hand-painted, and every stone was hand-placed. We sat together for four or five hours that morning to complete them. She really made me feel like a part of the family.”

To achieve this intricate design, Dior alternated between the OPI x Wicked GelColors in the shades Witch O’Clock and Ozitively Elphaba for the base colors. Then, using OPI’s Black Onyx, she painted on geometric designs to add some depth before adding embellishments and appliqués. Dior finished off the design by adding crisp white lines on a few of the nails, using the shade Alpine Snow to contrast the deeper tones for a fresh and elegant finish.

The Wicked Premiere in Sydney

“More is more with Cynthia,” says celebrity manicurist Rose Hackle, who has been working with Erivo since 2020. “She really loves nails and is always shopping for little jewels and trinkets to add to her designs.” Hackle, who has been doing Erivo’s nails since 2020, even recounts times when the actress would add extra jewels to a manicure after she finished.

When it comes to creating the designs, Erivo wants to let her technicians’ creativity shine through. She will often bring snippets of her red carpet or press tour looks to her nail appointments so that the artists can draw from their own creativity to bring the designs to life. By doing this, the entire process of creating nail looks becomes an energetic exchange. “She is adamant about wanting my energy and my creative freedom to be expressed on her hands,” Hackle says.

All four artists agree the key to getting Erivo’s nails just right is to be totally unafraid to push boundaries—and when in doubt, always add more diamonds.

Tasha Nicole Smith is ELLE Magazine’s beauty assistant. She loves all things hair, makeup, and skincare so you’ll find her talking about it here. She enjoys Marvel movies, a good pair of vintage heels, and lemon drop martinis and also shares a birthday with Beyoncé, which is her go to fun fact.