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Cynthia Erivo loves an opulent manicure. From this year’s Met Gala to the opening ceremony of the Olympics, we can count on two things from Erivo: Her nails will look incredible, and it’ll be the work of visionary nail artist Rose Hackle. So for an evening celebrating the upcoming OPI x Wicked collection (available to shop on October 1), it only makes sense that Erivo—who was just announced as the global brand ambassador—would need something major.
“This time [Rose] wanted them to be super, super sexy,” the superstar actor, singer, songwriter, and producer, who plays green-skinned Elphaba in the upcoming film Wicked, tells Vogue. “The shape is edgy, angular, and cool. Our last set was really girly. We’ve been using a base of green, which is always our main color for obvious reasons. We used that and worked around that. We’ve also used some stunning jewels from Coca Michelle in combination with OPI, which is very dreamy.”
The look started with the OPI x Wicked collection in shades Ozitively Elphaba, Witch O’Clock, and Black Onyx. From there, each nail was personalized—a charm here, some chrome topper there—for a one-of-a-kind Wicked style. For Erivo, “it’s a case of using the nails to connect the story of Elphaba, rather than interpreting her [through my beauty looks],” she shares. “It’s continuing the culture that was there before. Margaret Hamilton [who played the Wicked Witch of the West in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz] had nails, I have nails, and Elphaba has nails. Technically, she has nails because of us.”
In terms of her casting and upcoming press tour—which has her wearing a whole lot of green in her future—Erivo considers herself lucky. “It’s actually my favorite color. I love it, and I will always love it. In terms of my casting, it’s given me an excuse to buy more green clothes.”
