Wicked's Cynthia Erivo Whistles Gorgeous, Haunting Version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (WATCH)
Is Cynthia Erivo the world's greatest whistler?
With her upcoming role as Elphaba (the one day Wicked Witch of the West) in Universal’s upcoming big screen adaptation of Broadway hit and bestseller Wicked, star Cynthia Erivo is poised to shine in the singing and acting department yet again. But as Jimmy Fallon fans well know, the multi-hyphenate has even more tricks up her sleeve.
On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night, the host with the most went so far as to wonder if Erivo is actually the best whistler anyone has ever heard. Ever. Sure, Erivo has won countless awards, including an Emmy, a Tony, and a Grammy, but can any of that hold up to the honor of being the world’s greatest whistler?
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With Erivo dressed in an obvious black hat tip to Elphaba’s The Wizard of Oz future, Fallon asked if she’d be kind enough to whistle a little something for the audience, as she’d spectacularly done on a previous visit to the show with a mind-blowing rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” So how could she top that? How about another hat tip to Wizard’s magical land of Oz: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”?
Watch Wicked's Cynthia Erivo Whistle "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on The Tonight Show
As you can plainly see in the video above, Erivo is a generational talent, whether it be acting, singing, whistling, or just plain pleasing a late show crowd. And she's sure to be pleasing the masses again soon when Wicked hits theaters everywhere later this month.
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Centering around Erivo's Elphaba alongside Ariana Grande's Glinda, John M. Chu's movie is a prequel to 1939's The Wizard of Oz, which shows a very different side to that film's antagonist, the Wicked Witch of the West. Before she has that wicked moniker thrust upon her by the perhaps more wicked Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), Elphaba is just a student at the Shiz school of magic, learning how to harness her undoubted talents. Perhaps one of those talents is whistling?
You'll have to see for yourself when Wicked –– also starring Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Peter Dinklage, Ethan Slater, and Bowen Yang –– hits theaters everywhere November 22.
How can you watch Wicked in theaters?
Wicked arrives exclusively in theaters everywhere Friday, November 22. Click here to pick up tickets for yourself and the whole family! The sequel is set to follow on November 21, 2025.
